Shelter Island Whale's Tail Tours

Charming boutique hotel with a modern Scandinavian feel. Staff were friendly and helpful. Nice “personal touches” (e..g., cute stuffed mascot gift, free coffee/tea/soft drinks). Room was small but comfortably fit all accommodations. Private balcony was a nice plus and rooftop was great.

Door keys are often iffy at the Empire. This was no exception. The desk staff is often brusque, but today's was slightly better. The rooms are always well-cleaned. The hotel is well-worn, but there have been minor updates in some of the rooms with renewed wallpaper. Heat and a/c is functioning, but the controls are hard to operate. Many of the cleaning staff are very nice, but some are not. The doormen are very severe with non-guest visitors, but very polite to paying guests. Arranging a business meeting in the lobby is risky. Did I mention that the front desk is often quite rude? One of the elevators was out of service. This hotel is all about LOCATION. Lincoln Center is the best! The restaurants, coffee spots, and bars in the neighborhood are all pricey, but the Empire in-house costs are much higher than others in the vicinity. Unlike other NYC hotels in its price range, there is no in-room coffee, lobby coffee, or other amenities. One freebie: a small bottle of water upon check-in. This was once a great hotel. Now, not so much. It is convenient.

First time coming to this hotel and it was great!