This stunning suburban hotel retains its reputation as the best chain link in Essex County, an impressive service-oriented operation that serves both shoppers and commercial travelers with an eye for detail. In fact, it feels more like a Ritz-Carlton than a Hilton, as everything here is truly posh, impeccably maintained, and the staff garners high marks for efficiency and a can-do attitude.
Little has changed here over the last two years, and that is a good thing. Tailored plantings line the driveway to the porte cochere. The polished black and tan marble lobby puts the conversation areas conveniently close to urns of coffee and tea in the morning, and to cider and hot chocolate in the afternoon and evening .
One restaurant, its windows adorned with latticework, offers an American menu and an enclosed terrace, while the formal room provides Continental fare with a French accent amid mahogany paneling and English prints. A pianist or harpist performs nightly in the lounge, and bands and singers help fill the sunken dance floor on weekends.
In addition to a full-service spa with healthful fare and his-and-hers saunas, there is a notable gym and two outstanding pools: an outdoor plunge amid trees, tables and tents, and an indoor one under a strikingly lighted arched ceiling edged with pillars. The conference facilities are among the finest in the state, luring some gatherings from across the Hudson River. The 16 meeting rooms and five business-oriented suites provide state-of-the-art 
audiovisual equipment, and the ballroom holds up to 700 at receptions. Valet parking is now $12 per day, while indoor self-parking is free. A shuttle makes the 17-mile run to Newark Airport for a fee. Pets up to 50 lb are permitted.
Like the rest of the hotel, the accommodations stand out with custom furnishings, quality fabrics and carpeting. The art work and individual touches put other commercial, namebrand hotels to shame. In all of the rooms, mahogany furniture coordinates with sophisticated fabrics and high-end styling. The 25-inch TVs and desks are standard, as are phones with data ports and voice mail, high-speed Internet access, potted plants, and refreshment trays in lieu of minibars. The large, tiled baths have marble counters, hair dryers, magnifying mirrors and robes.
The 70 rooms cordoned off on the top two floors comprise the Towers section, wherein Hillary Rodham Clinton was one of the first to bunk down. Room service is always on call, and coffee, newspapers and freshly shined shoes accompany wake-up calls. Smoke-free and wheelchair-accessible rooms are in the rental pool.
Everyone from the doorman to the housekeepers helps make this polished suburban retreat click exquisitely.
