I visit New York several times a year and I have stayed at a bunch of different hotels over the years. But in November I came to New York on business and John Ross was so kind and so helpful at the Gansevoort that I decided to come back to the Gansevoort with my whole family. John Ross was working again when we came back over Thanksgiving week and he was super kind with my whole family. We love the location of the hotel and the rooms are super comfortable. I also like the views and the general vibe of the place.

If the Gansevoort management team is reading this please give John Ross a nice bonus for a job well done! We will be coming back many many times and I’ve already referred several friends to your hotel.

For the Ratchet; By the Ratchet.

The following is the email I sent to the General Manager. For which I never received a reply. I removed the names of employees.

Good Morning General Manager,

I've not had the moment to write you back as I've been quite busy. I was married on the fifth and was entertaining family who flew in for the wedding.

I cannot begin to tell you how disappointing our stay at the Gansevoort was. Aside from the deplorable state of room 1005, which had clearly not been properly cleaned for weeks; the overall experience of the stay left me wishing I'd never booked with you. The only reason we did not depart to another property was that we were getting married. Too many moving pieces for a move like that on such short notice. And proximity to the wedding venue was of great concern.

Aside from the state of the room I was very curtly informed upon arrival that the early checkin I'd been assured I had by your reservationist, was not available. I told the woman working the desk that I had been promised an early check in when I'd called a week earlier. She simply said that early check-in is not a guarantee and only a request. No apology, no concern. It was my problem. This was the first of several charming exchanges I had with a Ms. X as she is referred on my invoices.

If I had been aware of that early check-in policy I would not have adjusted my travel Itenerary to be at the hotel early. As you might imagine the hours and days immediately before getting married are quite valuable. I would have used that time more efficiently than showing up for a room which was not ready. And the less I spoke to your employees the better the stay would have been.

The approach Ms. X employs in her communicating with guests can be found over and over at your property. The young lady who works the evening desk shift seems genuinely annoyed by my approaching her. The only woman who works the door is also extremely annoyed about having to do her job. The general sense I get from the woman working the door is disdain. Interrupted only by the occasional rolling of her eyes. It's as though someone forces her to go to that job every day. And then doesn't pay her.

My hospitality experience is extensive. I've been in the industry for twenty two years. Most of them in Manhattan. I ran venue's X and X; amongst others. It's as though your staff is under the impression that the name Gansevoort does the actual work for them. They've collectively gotten their feet under the dinner table and now they get to relax. And whatever problems arise are those of the guests.

I'm sure you have many guests who buy into the lure of Gansevoort. I'm not one of them. I'm not paying for a name. I want the actual experience. And the experience was an embarrassment. Especially for the price we paid. I'm not the person who wants to speak with the manager. I'm not the person who calls out employees. But this was outrageous.

I'm really an easy going customer. But not at $685.00 - $745.00 a night. And I realize that with the money we spent we are still likely on the low end of money spent by your clientele. But if this is as good as it gets for spending $5200.00 +/- in your hotel than you should should make that information public. So people know what they are actually going to get before they commit.

Your bellhops and valet were good. Genuine guys. Actually looking to do their job without seeming incovieninced. But that's it.

Genuinely wishing we'd spent our money elsewhere,