Pros - property is upscale, as seen with the staff, lobby, fitness center, etc. They treat you well, are friendly and extremely clean. You see staff everywhere you walk in this property. Very clean- even saw staff vacuuming the hallway. Free parking, etc. Cons- old windows and fixtures in rooms(certain items) They're slowly doing updates, with the TV's, carpet, etc., however have older (but clean) fixtures in the bathrooms and room. Would stay here again. Was in room 180 and a noise would vibrate in the walls of the bathroom. Could not figure it out, however must be some type of heating unit for the second floor? read more

DO NOT STAY HERE I have never been a real critic when it comes to hotel stays. I don't assume everything will be absolutely perfect - I have stayed at way to many hotels to have such grand expectations! But this place really showed me how bad it can be. I was stuck here after a flight cancellation and thought, I'll upgrade from the airport hotel and treat myself.. what a mistake. The staff is unhelpful, if they answer the phone it is merely to transfer you to a line that will be sent to voicemail - don't bother leaving a message because they won't call back. They even wear nametags of employees that don't work there anymore so that they won't be caught when reported for doing a bad job - like "booking" your airport shuttle for you, but not actually booking it. Why should they care if you miss your flight? The rooms are falling apart. The 1st room: had apparently been recently broken in to (on the first floor, literally had a broken window with broken glass under it) the TV was hanging off the wall, the pillow cases were dirty, and the lamps didn't work. 2nd room: a bit better except for the fact that the tub didn't drain so if sharing a room the second person in the shower was standing in the first person's bathwater. The lobby is noisy and smells like a swimming pool, I believe the culprit was the koi pond complete with fake plastic lily pads floating in it. Everything about the place is unfriendly and unhelpful. It's only saving grace was the nice (sort of chatty) bartender in the lounge bar and comfy over-sized leather chairs to sit in while you drink over-priced martinis to try and block out your surroundings. I repeat, do not stay at the Genesee Grand in Syracuse. You are better off staying at the airport. read more

Was not overly impressed with the room or staff at the hotel. They gave me a working key to a room that was already occupied and treated me like I did that. Would probably try a different hotel in the future. read more

Genesee Grande Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Syracuse, New York

This hotel is overrated, overpriced and poorly maintained. My room was damp, dark and overlooked the hotels air conditioning unit/garbage dump. When I opened the window to air out the moldy stench, the window detached from the track. Staff is not helpful or friendly. This should not be classified as a hotel - much more of a motel experience. Priced like a four seasons, presents as a days inn. read more

I am a dad of a Syracuse freshman, and I was looking for a nice place near the university, where they offered a shuttle, and where I would also not need to rent a car. It was a very very hard reservation to procure, but I was extremely fortunate to be able to get one. I booked in May for a late-September trip, and was required to pre-pay for a 2-night minimum (I actually stayed 3 nights). It wasn't cheap, but every hotel in the area is CRAZY with increased rates for Syracuse family weekend & graduation. You just have to be prepared to pay it, no choice if you want a nice place within walking distance to campus. The service from the front desk, housekeepers, shuttle drivers, & bartenders was superb!!! Everyone was great, and I myself, am in the hotel business. My room was just perfect, clean, comfortable, spacious; every possible amenity was provided. Wifi was great in the lobby, but was a teeny-bit spotty on the 5th floor. The restaurant & bar were great. I spent at least an hour+ every night in the bar. A great place to hang out. I hope I'm lucky enough to get a reservation to stay here when I come back for Syracuse Parents weekend next year. It's awesome!!! read more

This standard rooms in the hotel are just bad. The rooms smell. I was first given a tiny room that smelled like body odor. I requested a room change and was given a room that reeked of paint. I asked if there were others but told all of the rooms were full.The walls are paper thin. So you can hear everything around you. Not ok. Who can sleep with the constant slamming of doors and chatter from the room next to you?! The bed is not comfortable. The pillowcases are rough and old. The blankets too. When I first inquired about another option, I was told by the man at the front desk that all rooms were full. I called back 2 hours later and there must have been a shift change and the woman at the front desk was kind, thoughtful and professional enough to upgrade me to a king bed room. The walls are still paperthin but the bed is comfortable and it doesn't reek. Oh, FYI, although they advertise having an airport shuttle, this is only based on availability and you cannot reserve it in advance. When I requested a shuttle, I was told there were none available.The lady at the front desk suggested I call an Uber. I did and just as we left, a shuttle pulled up. Apart from the shero who moved me to a nice, comfortable not stinky room last night, customer service is lacking. Standard rooms are tiny, sheets are rough, beds uncomfortable and two stank, read more

Excellent hotel, The accommodations where luxurious , comfortable and it was nice and quiet. The staff were accommodating the room service and food was great. read more

While the wedding coordinator, Jaime Nicolaos, was amazing (as was his team), the rest of the hotel is generally awful. They have literally demolished any charm the hotel once had. The service is now terrible, the rooms are filthy and have a noticeable smell, and the "remodel" is laughably awful. read more

Staff is very friendly ... my room was large although i read reviews of smaller rooms..biggest issue is the lack of elevators .. there is literally one in the building I am in... the hallways do smell funky but the room does not have the same odor... the building is also old so you can hear the people walking on the floors above but only when you are in the hallway.. location is great though ... read more

This hotel was referred to me via a client at SUNY. The room was reserved well ahead of time by the SUNY staff and most of the people I met in Syracuse said that it was the nicest hotel. However, there were quite a few problems. 1) I called several days ahead to schedule the airport shuttle pickup. They stated that they could not make an appointment for pickup at the airport until I actually arrived at the airport, even though I had a reservation at the hotel. I told them that our flight was late in the evening so I wanted to make sure the shuttle was available and not on a dinner run. They stated that if I called by 10:45pm they could get the shuttle out in time to pick us up. My flight ran a little late (i called and warned the hotel when i found out) and we landed at 10:45 and I immediately called. At that point, they stated that the shuttle would not pick us up because the shift ended at 11:00pm. Thus, I had to take a cab to the hotel because the shuttle driver did not want to work 10 min over. They advertise their hotel as supplying airport shuttle service, but really it's an as available shuttle service that runs from hotel to airport and not vice versa. By the way, they will not reimburse the cab fees nor would they provide any comps for the disservice 2) I had called days ahead to let the staff know we would be arriving late and requested a king nonsmoking room. Upon arrival, we instead got a queen double room and someone down the hall was a heavy pot smoker. 3) the room was small but clean and equipped with wifi, flatscreen a Tv, Aveda bath products, and a small desk. 4) no air-conditioning, you have to open the window. The heater was ancient and only blew out lukewarm air; it was easily 37 degrees outside, so I had to bundle up to stay warm inside. 5) the hotel is really old but had a major facelift. Don't let the nice lobby fool you. The walls are paper thin and your only view is of a parking lot. Also, the key card on the door is really weird and awkward to use. The toilet runs constantly as it takes an hour to fill the tank. 6) large gym, but no jacuzzi or pool. 7) the housekeepers are really loud in the morning. I was there two nights and every morning I could hear them yelling down the hallway to each other. Luckily, they didn't call and ask if I wanted to be disturbed like some hotels do. All in all, I think the hotel is okay, but not worth what I paid. The loudness and lack of jacuzzi really put it off for me. The only really nice thing was the restaurant. The restaurant has great food and the servers are fast and friendly. there is a pizza joint down the street that is open til 3am. Beware the neighborhood, as it is kinda shady. Don't walk out at night alone. read more

I did not enjoy my stay at this hotel. Very dated and musty smelling. The worst part for me was the wifi that didn't work at all. I would have paid just to get anything but it was completely out. Front desk said they'd have an engineer check the connection but that didn't resolve anything. Rate was slightly higher than the other hotels in the area but lesson learned, go with the larger chains. read more

The lobby is beautiful. I absolutely loved the koi fish pond and the decor was fabulous. We ate at the restaurant downstairs and it was an interesting experience. The menu is very high class and complex so we decided to just get pizza delivered instead. The room was small but we didn't need a huge room. We were just here to get away from the school for a night and have some time alone and we were successful in finding that. I just wish housekeeping didn't wake us up at 9 in the morning pounding on our door. They should really invest in those little things that hang on the doors. read more

Hi all. I needed to plan a stay in Syracuse in midwinter and be reasonably close to the Crouse Hospital. What to do? How about a Google Search? Okay. Did that and ended up investigating many hotel choices in the zip code 13210. I'll spare you the details and aftermath of that investigation but let me summarize- Syracuse can get very, very cold and snowy (or worse...icy) in midwinter, so it is advisable to look at hotels nearest to the Crouse Hospital if you need to be at the Crouse Hospital at certain times, like for surgery! Or so I thought! The Hospital was no help. Their online info did not suggest any places to stay.... near or far! So, what to do? How about a review of reviews on Yelp? Okay, where to start? How about the Genesee Grand Hotel? Google Maps shows it as being 0.5 miles from the hospital, an 11 minute walk. Sounds good. I can do an 11 minute walk. But what about weather? Can I do an 11 minute walk in freezing rain or snow? How about Yelpers? What has been posted by fellow Yelpers who have stayed at this hotel? Maybe they will mention getting around Syracuse in the dead of winter in their reviews? Nope! Betsy of Forest Hill, posted about having a spacious room and enjoying a great lounge back in January 2013. But no mention of weather. Vanessa of Arlington posted about requesting the Mayflower Building for rooms that are more modern and bigger. But, no mention of weather. Sishab from Toms River posted about having a basic room with a tiny sink and problem parking. Again, no mention of weather. Kelly of Stowe posted about friendly, helpful staff and room with comfy beds and a very tiny bath. Still, nothing mentioned about the weather. I needed to make a decision. I decided on the Genesee Grand Hotel. I stayed 3 days, early February. Surgery went we 2014. It snowed and was freezing during my entire stay but I never had a problem. The Hotel ran a comfortable, heated van to the door of the Hospital and I never had a problem coming or going. I could have tolerated most anything at the Hotel because of this great amenity alone. I think that they should emphasize doing it prominently in their marketing. In addition, they discounted my room rate as a patient at the Hospital. Don't you think that the good people at Crouse could mention this? So, let me summarize. The Genesee Grand Hotel worked out great for me and my family while having surgery and recovery at the Crouse Hospital. The Hotel provided prompt and comfortable complimentary transporation to the Hospital and back and discounted the room rate too! I hope I will not require any followup surgery but if I do, the Genesee Grand Hotel will get my business for proving the shuttle amenity alone. BTW, although only 0.5 miles away from Crouse, what Google Maps didn't mention was that this is all uphill from the Hotel. And it was no small hill! BTW, IMO, all the reviewers that I mentioned were right on with their comments. I actually liked staying in the Main Building and on the 1st floor. From there, you have easy access to the lobby, the bar, the restaurant, the ice machine, the vending machines, and to a very nice bathroom that was always kept very clean and well maintained. Be advised that the comments about the tiny hotel room bathroom was very accurate. I can add that the toilet is very, very low to the floor. I know that 1 Yelper posted about having a large bathroom but my bath was, indeed, Motel 6 size. Water pressure and hot water were adequate for showering. My other negative was about the room's heat. I dislike hot air heating anyway and my room was a great example of why, with severe highs and lows all night long. Fortunately the window could be opened for fresh air, which saved the day. The beds in my room were true double beds (not twins) which is big enough for me. They were firm, also something that I like. Curiously, they did not make the beds up with colorful bedspreads. Maybe this is a cost containment thing. My 1st floor room had complimentary wireless internet access. My access was consistent and uninterrupted. I also asked for a refrigerator when I booked and it was in my room and running when I arrived. I also found that the staff were helpful and friendly everywhere (bar, table service, housekeeping, front desk, and, especially, the shuttle drivers). Kudos to all! Hopefully this information was helpful for you. Thank you for reading my review. read more

Conveniently located in walking distance of Syracuse University. Very good service. The bathroom looked newly renovated and very clean. The beds are one of the comfiest I've slept in... what a great night's sleep!! Would highly recommend and will be visiting again! The close by restaurants are delicious! I just wish they had a fridge and microwave in the room for leftovers. read more

I wish I could give this 0 stars. I've never eaten such crap food in my life. The beds are straight garbage. I've never slept on something more uncomfortable in my entire life. Everything in the entire hotel is overpriced. Even if you had enough money to buy a bag of skittles from the vending machine there's no place to insert cash. This is just terrible. Next time, If this hotel is my only option, I will be sleeping on the sidewalk. read more

Number of nights: 4 When I walked into my room the first thing I noticed was a BIG ol' stain on the comforter. EEEWWWW! Bad housekeeping for such a seemingly great hotel. I must have gotten one of the rooms that didn't get a lot of TLC when renovating. The TV in my room was not a flat screen (not that I really care) and there wasn't an extra desk where I could setup my laptop. The room was very crowded even for just one person. Maybe if I had only been there one night it wouldn't have mattered. The bathroom was very nicely done and the aveda soap and shampoo were a nice touch. The front desk was very friendly and the parking (not covered) was convenient. The hotel restaurant was really good too (for a hotel restaurant) and the bartender/waitress was great! If the HUGE (very obvious) stain hadn't been left on my comforter I would've given this hotel a 4. read more

Overall we really liked this hotel. Our suite was lovely and clean, the bed was comfortable, and the location was good. I was torn between 3 and 4 stars, and really wish I could give 3 1/2, since there were a few details that could have been better. There is no coffee maker in the room, and no one told us there was coffee in the lobby (nor was it in the printed information in the room). There are two buildings, and to call the desk there is a different number depending on which building, yet one told us (and again, not printed anywhere) which building we were in. Little things, but still they make a difference. Overall, we liked it, and will be back. Oh, and I don't know what people are talking about in regard to the neighborhood. It's a lovely area near the SU campus, with a large church across the street where the United Methodist bishop for upstate New York has his offices. It's perfectly safe. read more

The Genesee Grand is a definite step up from your average Hampton Inn. The decor is feminine and classy...marble top bedside tables and bathroom counters make it even classier. My client told me the food at the restaurant is good but I didn't get a chance to try it. Give this place a shot..you won't be disappointed. read more

We were able to book this hotel online using Priceline. We paid $70 plus taxes and fees. Check-in was at 3pm, however, we arrived around 12:30pm and our room was available to check in. I requested a room located on a higher floor after reading some of the reviews and we were placed on the 5th floor in the Mayflower building. The front desk staff were pleasant and accommodating. The room was clean and average size. We had a queen bed (which was super comfortable) and a very large television. They also use Aveda products--Yay...my fav!! We were very happy with the experience and would absolutely go back again. read more

Upon checking in, their was an armed officer in lobby. Fine by me, but we didn't get much sleep with the constant loud partying in our corridor. Strange, that when we ordered a pizza (no room service after 10pm) that we had to go to the lobby and pick it up for security reasons. Very inconvenient as we were exhausted from a long day of travel. Security didn't seem to mind the gangs of revelers running rampant throughout the night.. Next sleepless morning, finally, we dragged ourselves out of bed and rolled down to the lobby to get a coffee. Since we were a few minutes after the free service, because of noisy sleepless night, the coffee urns were empty in the lobby. By the way, no coffee maker in the room. Crazy. Front desk asked us to go the bar and get filled up there. Female bartender was as rude as it gets. No coffee, it's after 10am!! she was brutal. Back to front desk, and they said yes, she'll give you coffee, just go back..at this point, we were done with this place. There was no friendly staff members to be found anywhere. Room was noisy, antiquated. Noises from all over, through the floors etc, very annoying. Would have gotten 2-3 stars if it weren't for the backwards, shifty, rude staff. read more

I am very disappointed with this hotel. The elevator smelled like pot. They don't really have much amenities. They say they have airport shuttle, but when you ask for it, they are like oh our driver leaves at 3pm!!! I wouldn't call that shuttle. They should mention it is airport shuttle only from this time to that time. read more

Traveling through the state and happened to stumble across this hotel. The bar was open late - which was awesome. Hannah - who i read about in other reviews - exceeded all expectations. Looking for a cool place - stop here. read more

I spent a whopping two days in Syracuse, so it doesn't make me an expert on their hotel scene, but given my experience in a big chain hotel one of the nights, I felt like this was a welcome change. A boutique style hotel with super nice staff, eloquent rooms, a solid bar/restaurant, on-site parking, and the location was good. read more

Lovely hotel with a lot of charm. The staff is friendly and helpful. The beds are very comfortable and the rooms were very clean. The only downside was the bathroom. Very tiny but clean. I would stay here again. read more

I had a meeting at Syracuse Univ and wanted to find a respectable hotel within walking distance. The Sheraton is ok but expensive. I decided to go with Hotwire and see where I would end up. I had not heard of the Genesee Grand, but it turned out to be a good deal within close walking distance. The first block around the hotel is not that attractive though. My room was fine except literally no view besides the roof of another building. I was fine with that since I was only going to be staying overnight. Parking is free which is good. The best thing is the restaurant - 1060. Good service and food for the area. I would stay here again. read more

I stay here all the time for business. The rooms are nice and spacious, with a perfect area to get some work done. The rooms are always clean. I use their gym, which is well maintained with plenty of equipment. The lounge is a great place to get some wine and relax. Planning on returning. :-) read more

Excellent hotel. Fantastic service. I feel like royalty here. I will definitely come again when I am in town. And Lori at the lounge was so friendly and amazing. We don't have this great service in Los Angeles read more

Disappointing start to a weekend at the Genesee Hotel. Don't be fooled by the FREE SHUTTLE service from the airport. After an hour wait were told it's another 30 minute wait. They command a premium price yet just can't deliver in the customer service. I'm now curious to see the quality of the rooms. read more

This was such a disappointing experience...not sure where to begin. The waiter was rude on so many levels. Rude when I ordered wine, when I asked for the specials he told me to read the sheet of paper on the table. We have a nut allergy and was annoyed when we asked him to double check the ingredients on the rolls...then the entrees arrived. $37 for the entree and while the meat was warm, the garlic mashed potatoes were dried out, hard and cold. The asparagus was very undercooked, cold and dried out. Two of us in the party ordered the same selection and we each received the same quality. When I brought it to his attention he was annoyed and whisked the plates away rudely. When it returned from the kitchen, the sides were slightly warmer. I understand the servers cannot control the kitchen and the terrible quality of food served but his attitude during the meal was extremely disappointing. When I asked him for a pen to sign the bill, rude again. I frequent restaurants many times weekly and will not be returning here - ever. Such a shame as the hotel ambiance is lovely. read more

The best way to describe this place is ODD. It looks like they had five different people decorate the place. Old grandmas house chairs on modern carpet with IKEA looking lamps in the rooms. Aesthetics aside our room is very small and the bathroom is awkward. The hot water never got hot just a little above warm. If you jack up the heater you can get through a shower without shivering, but really :( when I talked to reception about the water issue she said "ya I know" and then just stood there. Awkward and annoying.... if you can't do anything about it at least be personable and maybe throw in a "sorry about that". A man knocked on every door in our hallway to check if the guests were still in the rooms (we still had one night before checkout) and the maid never came. I'm giving it a 3 because the beds were comfortable, the lounge is nice, location good and the bellman was really funny and nice. read more

Just Pricelined a room with two double beds for $55 + tax/fees. Totaling $71.03... great deal!

Fairly classy and nicely renovated lobby. It's much better than a motel 6 or econo lodge. The rooms are small though- especially if you get one with two double beds- you'll feel a bit cramped. but I also know that's how these old hotels were designed. so you can't fight it. They have nice space saving amenities like flat screen TV's in the rooms. Overall, it may be a bit over priced, but it was a pretty decent couple night's sleep. read more

I chaired a conference that was planned with this hotel in 2006 and was very pleased by the staff that helped us throughout the 6 month planning period. The food service was nice, the rooms clean and sharp, and the hotel staff really worked with us to make this a pleasant conference for those who attended. They also made sure that the public event went off without a hitch. read more

We were there for a large group brunch that was a pre-made reservation. I have to give this restaurant a poor review on the poor management. Overall the food was really good for brunch. I had the egg white frittata was full of veggies and light and fluffy. Delicious potatoes. Great breakfast options including avo toast and salmon platter. We had a great waiter who dealt well with our group of 18 and was very attentive to all of our needs. The problem was that he had no support from his management, kitchen, and other waiters. A group this large needs to be serviced by multiple waiters and the kitchen has to be warned about the number of orders coming through. It's poor planning by the manager and expediter if we sit down and order by 11:00 and don't get any food until 12:15 with two toddlers and a 90 year old grandmother getting "hangry". We saw other tables get there after us, eat and pay before we got any food. I hope the great food this restaurant can offer isn't overshadowed by the poor management of the restaurant. read more

Granted it was Thanksgiving weekend. Check in was pleasant. Lobbies in both of the buildings were clean and inviting. Room was large but furnishings and carpet a tad dated. The heater turned on with a blast of cold air and rattled all the time it was on. I had requested an extra blanket which never came. The following morning we discovered that the hairdryer did not work. The rooms have no coffee, an amenity I have become used to in a hotel claiming 3.5 stars. We asked to be reassigned for our next night. Our second night in a different room still had a noisy heater, but much less so. At 1:00 AM there was a fire alarm malfunction requiring us and all the other guests to evacuate the building until the fire department cleared it for us to reenter. If I were managing such an unfortunate event my staff would be offering warm beverages and apologies at the very least. read more

The location is quiet and within walking distance or short driving distance of several places to explore such as the Syracuse University and the Armory Square. I loved the fact that we were able to check in as early 10:30am. the room was average size and the bed was very comfortable. we were there for the wedding and they had everything organized very well. andthe hotel restaurant had very friendly staff and yummy food. the service was fast and came with a smile read more

Nice atmosphere, small but functional rooms. Close to Syracuse University. "A-OK" sounds about right.

small room with mini bathroom: toilet/shower/sink are meant for midgets. better off elsewhere unless u absolutely need close-to-campus accommodations. even still, the Sheraton probs a better deal. nice breakfast under the gazebo but still not worth it. read more

Very nice lobby. Close to Syracuse University. You could easily walk to campus if the weather was good. Decent parking out back. It is an old building, so the rooms are relatively small. Everything is clean and well-kept. read more

dinner for four. We waited one hour and ten minutes to get our dinner and we only ordered four burgers and fries and one chicken salad. All three burgers were burnt and four tables that came in and ordered after us received their meals before us. We will not come back. The American Legion Convention is in Syracuse in July of 2017 and the Legionaires 500 of them will be staying there. i hope they get better service. This was unexceptable read more