Robert Treat Hotel Newark

I signed up for Tripadvisor simply to inform people not to stay at this hotel. Needing to catch a plane out on a morning flight my wife and me stayed at this hotel and figured it would be quiet due to the fact it is about 3 miles from Newark Airport. It was the worst travel decision ever, we arrived and had no help or direction from concierge after coming from the city and the rooms are nothing like advertised. The washroom had mold and reminded me of a washroom in a Hospital. We could here people in other rooms and floors throughout the night and the cars from the road. Never again would I stay at this hotel or recommend it to anyone, spend the extra money and stay elsewhere it is worth it.

I had read the reviews, and so I had been forewarned. However, the conference rate was very good at the RTH (90$), so I booked anyway.

The shuttle from the station *never* showed up. After 40 minutes I gave up and took the Loop shuttle. I wish I had done it right away, it's cheap and fast (tho it has little room for luggage, which was a problem). The woman at the desk practically sneered at me when I asked if they had maps of Newark. Any self-respecting hotel has guidebooks in the room with maps of the city. And anyway the sneering part was completely unwarranted.

The room was so-so: your typical chain hotel furniture. The bathroom had some nasty-looking mold near the faucet. The room was way too cold, and given the quality of the customer service experienced so far I did not even bother calling for an additional blanket. I just put on a freece over my PJ.

Overall, for a hotel that brags of its history and tradition (and offers room that are no better than a Days Inn), this place is disappointing. I will certainly avoid it in the future. This must be the most inhospitable hotel I have ever been to.

My wife and I stayed at the RT in Dec '04 when the Manhattan hotels were booked during the Christmas rush. The first night they refused to send up a room service dinner because there was a "private party" in the restarant (relevance?) but we found a good place right around the corner. Location is very good, about 10 min. walk to Newark Penn Station, so you're 25 minutes from Manhattan. It's a good choice if your wallet doesn't have $250 a night for a Manhattan hotel and you're willing to do a little train riding.

As for the front desk not putting calls through, the kids these days are using cell phones.

I worked (played a grueling concert) at the New Jersey PAC til late and then went to the bar here with my boyfriend and his work colleague for a drink. The maitre-d of the bar tried to get us to sit in the lounge where there was deafeningly amplified jazz (not what I'm in the mood for after 2-3 hours on stage), tried to take my instrument away from me because it was an "insurance hazard" for his workers, and then when I asked for my coat from the coat check at the end of the evening, he said "it's locked. Where do you live, maybe we can send it to you." I asked if he was joking and he said no. Apparently he was because a woman appeared and retrieved my coat. Appalling rudeness and disrespect. I will never go back.

I booked the Robert Treat for a business trip, as a frequent traveler, I am familiar with many hotels. This is the worst experience I have ever had. It began at checkin when the shuttle driver picked up passengers who were clearly personal friends returning from a trip. Upon arrival to the hotel, at the front desk, I was ignored while the man behind the desk reverted to his "street lingo" with the friends from the shuttle. "My ni**a whassup!" I was able to order room service, but couldn't charge it to my room. One of the nights, I called my order down, including a glass of Shiraz. My dinner arrived sans Shiraz. When I inquired of the room service person, he confrontationally pointed to the room service receipt "look lady, there's no wine on this ticket...see, no wine!" I told him it was not that big of a deal, I just asked, maybe the man who took my order forgot to write it down but I ordered wine. A wine was later delivered, with apologies - in a paper cup! This treatment continued during my entire 3 day stay. The grand finale to this fiasco? The shuttle driver on my departure didn't ask what airline I was going to - as a frequent traveler, every other shuttle driver I have EVER encountered asks the passengers upon arrival at the airport "What airlines, please?". He dropped me off at Continental International. I stayed in the shuttle as it wasn't my airline, when I told him I needed AmericaWest, he told me that was "way on the other side of the airport" and it was "too late now". I explained that if I had to walk it, or take the air train, I would be in danger of missing my flight. He replied "That's not my problem, lady" and post humously deposited my bags on the curb and put me out of the shuttle. I had, had it with the "service" the Robert Treat provides - I let him know what I think of the hotel and how they represented New Jersey. If I never have to return to either, I will be a happy woman. I had to run to the airtrain, run to security, run through the gate and barely made my flight.

I've stayed with the Robert Treat on many ocassions. It's conveniently located in Downtown Newark, a few walking blocks from Penn Station, Rutgers Law, Musuem, Arts Center (right across the street) Public Transportation, Shopping, Starbucks, Chinatown, and other fast food Restaurants.

I now live in California, but grew up in East Orange and I like the fact that the Hotel has been there so long, I believe Truman and Kennedy stayed there. I also spent my honeymoon there in 1969. The rooms and carpeting could be updated a bit, but they are clean, and the price is very reasonable. I found that by staying at the Robert Treat instead of another Hotel out at the airport, my daily trips to the surrounding suburban cities (East Orange, West Orange, South Orange, Montclair) was so convenient for me.

My only concern is that the Hotel does not provide adequate room service.

I've stayed at the Robert Treat Hotel a lot in the past year. The rooms are clean and very decent (relatively new renovations). High speed internet is very good. The restaurant Maize is excellent. They have a shuttle to and from the airport as well as to and from Newark Penn Station. I have really been quite comfortable there, and I'm picky about hotels.

Downsides: terrible service at the front desk - often people who try to call me after 9pm can't get through. They sometimes lose my reservation (make sure you confirm!). And it is an overflow for Rutgers students, so sometimes it has a bit of a zoo feeling in the lobby. But as I said, once you're in your room it is a very decent hotel.

The Robert Treat Hotel was a treat to stay in. It is a short walk to Newark's improved Pennsylvania Train Station and close to Newark's excellent art museum. The rooms are very well maintained and the desk staff was helpful and pleasant. Dollar and cent wise,this hotel makes a lot of sense to stay in.

Can't beat the price.

Central location for Newark.

Good deal for spending day in New York.

I booked the Robert Treat because it was 3-4 blocks from the location we were to be working. The lobby was nice but the man at the front desk took 15 minutes to get the 3 of us checked in to our 3 rooms. This may have been because the man checking me and my co-workers in was training the other man who was working the desk.

My room had new drapes and bedspreads but the rug and the furniture needed replacement. The alarm clock was missing as were the TV remotes and the phone book. My co-workers both tried to make phone calls home only to be told they needed to make a $20 deposit at the front desk or leave a credit card number. The front desk people didn't explain why the phone calls didn't just go on the credit card on file for the rooms.

Sound proofing is lacking. I could easily hear the family in the neighboring room and people chatting in the hallway. While my room was adequately clean, one of my co-workers found that the sheets had not been changed from the previous inhabitants. If, like us, you're driving there be warned: the parking lot is small and the spaces cramped.

They have a fine restaurant on site, Maize, that serves all three meals yet they don't have any room service. Go figure.

Needless to say, we checked out and found another place that was newer cleaner and cheaper.