The RIHGA Royal in NY

[JimandStan]

Rev-

With nearly 10,000 posts, the other thread was getting unwieldy. I'm dying to know. Did you talk to the Rihga people?

[RevNeal]

I spoke for about 25 minutes with one of the Hotel's Daytime Assistant Managers. He informed me that

 

1. There is now a 2 floor buffer between floors where guests are staying and where work is being done. This is to ensure that little, if any, noise filters over to floors where guests are staying. They had tried just one floor, but discovered that it was insufficient.

 

2. He inspects every morning, and another manager inspects every evening, to ensure that dust, debris, and other items from the construction are NOT visible on any guest floor or anywhere else in the Hotel.

 

3. I asked about the debris and other signs of construction that were seen by "a friend who scoped out the hotel" and he informed me that if someone was shown an empty room as an example it was probably done on a floor where work was being done, and NOT on a floor where guests were currently being accommodated. He also stated that the public elevators have only yesterday been programmed to not allow guests to visit the floors, and workmen are required to use staff elevators ONLY.

 

4. While they will not assign a room until check in, he annotated my booking to ensure I would be on the 20th through the 33rd floors, which have rooms that were entirely refurbished in 2002. He also annotated my request for a non-smoking Suite with a King Bed and stated that there should be no problem in fulfilling all of this on my check in on Sunday Feb 19th. He also took down my arrival time at LGA and wanted to know if I would like pick up, but I informed him that a friend would be picking me up at the airport and that I would be arriving for check-in after 9 pm.

 

5. While the Prime 54 Restaurant is closed, the kitchens are still open. The hotel is providing the Continental Breakfast on the 2nd Floor, along with the standard lounge menu offerings. They still have Room Service, and while the times are extensive they are no longer open 24 hours.

 

In short, the vast majority of my concerns seem to have been addressed acceptably ... certainly well enough for me to keep my reservation at the RIHGA Royal.

 

***

 

As I've been writing this post I noticed an E-mail arrive from the RIHGA containing the updated booking information. It details that I am to receive a King Bed/Non-smoking Suite below the 34th floor but "as high as possible otherwise" and, then, in parenthesis, it states: confirmed floors 20 - 34. It also states the following:

 

Prime 54 Restaurant will be closed for renovation. In the interim, Continental Breakfast as well as current lounge offerings will served on our 2nd Floor.

 

Effective Ocotber 10, 2005 In-Suite Dining (Room service) hours of operation will be from 6:30am to 1:30am daily. We will no longer provide overnight room service.

 

All of which echos what I was told by the Day Manager.

[JimandStan]

Wow! Were you ever thorough!

As sad as I am that you won't be at the Waldorf with us, I'm also glad that you resolved things with the Rihga to your satisfaction.

 

Just found out that Giselle and Suzan (from Ottowa) are at the Waldorf, with us. Haven't heard about anyone else, yet.

 

Perhaps, by the next time you pass through town, Gordon Ramsey will have opened his restaurant, and we can have a Noordam Reunion Dinner there! We've been to his restaurant in London, and, every bite was music! The closest thing to perfection that we're likely to experience in the veil of tears.

I wish it had been open for this trip, but we must solder on.

[RevNeal]

As sad as I am that you won't be at the Waldorf with us, I'm also glad that you resolved things with the Rihga to your satisfaction.

 

Mourn not ... we'll have 10 days on the Noordam to become acquainted. :D

 

Just found out that Giselle and Suzan (from Ottowa) are at the Waldorf, with us. Haven't heard about anyone else, yet.

 

I'm not sure I've met them ... will look forward to it.

 

Perhaps, by the next time you pass through town, Gordon Ramsey will have opened his restaurant, and we can have a Noordam Reunion Dinner there! We've been to his restaurant in London, and, every bite was music! The closest thing to perfection that we're likely to experience in the veil of tears.

I wish it had been open for this trip, but we must solder on.

 

That sounds GREAT. :)

[JimandStan]

When these renovations are complete, the RIHGA will cease to exist, and the hotel will be called "The London" or "The New York London", isn't that correct?

When is that supposed to happen?

[RevNeal]

This Fall.

The very first renovations will not be finished until April, with the whole process being completed this Fall.

[JimandStan]

Rev-

Is Calm Seas staying at the Rihga?:confused:

 

Jim

[General Max]

Jim, calmseas is staying at the Rihga. I am not sure when she is checking in. I assume it is at least 2/20/06.

 

Cheers

 

General Max