In this part of town for business travel The Stoneleigh is a good bet (as compared to the Warwick, Palomar or even the Mansions – have not stayed at The Ritz yet). The rooms are comfortable, quite and clean and the bathrooms have been completely redone (unlike the Warwick). I stay in the studio suite for some extra room.

While I have not tried the spa, this is not a hotel of elevated personal service like The Four Seasons – they have trouble calling you by name and there is a small front desk area with typically one person working, so you have to wait. The hotel bar could use a little more customer focus also, and dining was typical, but there is a great steak place across the street. If you are on business, go to the bar at the Warwick and stay in a comfortable room at The Stoneleigh. If you want a higher level of personal attention, go to the Crescent, Four Seasons, etc. as this is a notch down.

What a pleasure to stay in a hotel that isn't part of a bland chain and has some real character architecturally and atmospherically. Built in the 1920s the Stonleigh has evidently benefited from sustained celebrity patronage (as demonstrated on the wall of fame adjacent to the lobby) and has been kept in pristine condition that belying it's  years. Rooms are spacious and comfortable and bathrooms are well appointed and modern. I didn't have dinner in the hotel, there are less formal places close by, but breakfast was a work of art and tasty too. Not cheap, but absolutely top quality. Staff are friendly and service is attentive. Situated in a quiet part of town, this is a hidden gem. And wi-fi is free too - marvellous. 

Positives: A few years ago the Stoneleigh received a desperately needed renovation. The result is a good looking hotel with quite a nice buzz in the public rooms and good, spacious, comfortable bedrooms. The dining room, Bolla, does a good job: it can be rather quiet and not the most atmospheric, but what comes out of the kitchen is enjoyable. The menu is ambitiously priced, but the quality more or less justifies the price.

Neutral factor: the location. The location is super convenient for me for business. Otherwise I would probably choose somewhere else. But everyone's needs are different - if you want more hip and buzzy in the area you might try the ZaZa. Other locations are probably better for tourists.

The drawbacks:
(1) price - the hotel is relatively high priced compared to alternatives in other good locations.

(2) Watch out for their billing practices ! I have stayed several times and on at least two occasions there have been incorrect extra charges. Previously I have been charged for parking when I did not even have a car with me. Last week, after I checked out my credit card was the hotel then processed an additional charge without me being told. I phoned the hotel and was told I had been charged for a bottle of water in the room. $8 for a bottle of water is a crazy price and tells you quite a lot about the hotel's approach. But more important is that I never touched the bottle or the mini-bar. Being wrongly charged on one occasion by a hotel could be an excusable error, but having it happen twice at the same hotel ?? Let's just say it makes me uncomfortable about their billing practices.

So why did I rate the hotel 4 out of 5 ? Because if its location is convenient for you it may be a good option and I have no complaint about the quality of the public and private rooms. But keep your eyes open, check the bill carefully and check your credit card charges carefully after you've left.

This place is old style upper class; probably out of my class. Service, food, room, facilities were all first class.