Thompson Hotel has now joined Hyatt's value-packed lineup. I had previously stayed at Chicago Thompson and thought it was pretty good, so last month when I was heading to the East Coast, I tried the NYC Thompson Hotel - Gild Hall.

Hotel Overview

Thompson has two hotels in New York, and they are quite close to each other, both near the financial district.

Gild Hall is about a 10-minute walk to the Charging Bull on Wall Street and the new World Trade Center.

The hotel has 130 guest rooms in total, including three types of suites. Standard rooms are 280 sq ft, and suites are 560~850 sq ft.

The hotel has Bar - LA SOFFITTA and the Italian restaurant FELICE RISTORANTE

Redemption

I stayed at Gild Hall, cat4, and the Hyatt credit card free night worked perfectly here. If you redeem points, it costs 15,000 points, and the cash rate is usually around $200~400.

There is another hotel called The Beekman, cat6, which requires 25,000 points, so the free night certificate doesn't work there, which is why I didn't stay there this time.

Check-in

First, I have to say that this hotel is really hard to find! It's even harder at night! The blocks in that area are very small, and there was also scaffolding along the street. I drove past it twice before I found it.

The hotel has valet parking for $55-$65. I booked parking on SpotHero, and there was a valet lot across the street from the hotel for around $40.

The front desk is on the right as you enter, and they offer champagne. To the left is the restaurant + bar, and upstairs is the bar. The lobby decor is quite stylish, but it is a bit small and cramped.

They have an official 3D Tour, which is something very few hotels offer, and it looks better than my photos... Here is the 3D Tour link. It's more intuitive and realistic than photos, and you can see all the public areas on the first floor.

The hallway feels a bit dated, and the wall and carpet colors are not very attractive...

The Room

I stayed in a standard room, which was only 280 sq ft, but that's still okay in NYC. I'm only an Explorist, and I didn't ask for an upgrade since I had to leave early the next morning and was too lazy.

A quick note: many Hyatt hotels tend to assign less desirable rooms to Chase Category 1-4 certificate redemptions.

The room size was just okay, but the ceiling was really high...

The bedding was pretty comfortable, and the leather at the headboard didn't look worn or dirty. But the desk definitely showed some signs of age.

The bathroom is very small, and larger guests would feel pretty cramped in there.

The toiletries are by D.S. DURGA, which I didn't like because the fragrance scent was quite strong.

The mini bar is quite unique because it comes with a key to open it. There are some snacks and drinks, and the prices are listed on a menu.

Explorist members can choose one complimentary large bottle of water on the desk or two small bottles from the fridge. Just remember, it's the lowest-tier water, not the drinks or alcohol.

Gym

There are two gyms, one on the 7th floor and one on the 18th floor. Both setups are the same, and both are very limited. But they both have towels, clocks, and water dispensers... haha

Drawbacks

Although the hotel offers free Wi-Fi, you can only connect 2 devices! If you need 5-8 devices, you have to buy High Speed Wi-Fi for $19.95/day.

Valet parking is expensive at $55-$60.

Why does a hotel like this charge a $22.89 destination fee? That is truly a huge question mark! Fortunately, bookings made with a free night certificate or points do not have to pay this fee.

The windows aren't especially soundproof, but it's also possible the construction truck noise outside was just too loud...

Conclusion

The hotel's overall location is still very good, with Manhattan attractions within walking distance.

The cash rate is usually close to $200 at the low end, so I think using a Hyatt Cat 1-4 free night certificate here is pretty worthwhile, especially since it also waives the destination fee.