Hotel Henry Urban Resort Conference Center 444 Forest Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14213

"Not only was the room clean but the entire hotel was. Blown away with the housekeeping staff for sure. As for the hotel itself, well, there's a lot to talk about there.... I have to admit, I was very skeptical of Hotel Henry before my visit. As someone who values historic preservation on more than just a surface level I was less than thrilled about their tenancy in the old state hospital building. I thought it was shortsighted to only occupy the central space with no intent to expand. History has seen many grand Kirkbride buildings irreparably damaged by partial occupancy over a long period of time. Evidence of this is the art museam that now stands where the right wing once ended. I also considered the idea of putting a luxury hotel in the old state hospital to be in poor taste. Finally, modern renovations inside historic structures are done terribly more often than not. One example would be the worthless shell of Danvers State Hospital, another historic Kirkbride building that was completely gutted during its transformation into condominiums. After visiting and spending the weekend I can safely say I was a stubborn fool. Plans have already been set to renovate the current unoccupied space in the structure which is a relief. The vacant sections are well secured and patrolled often. Unfortunately they are patrolled by the police so there is always a cop driving around making some folks feel uncomfortable for having an interest in the building outside the limits of the hotel. Right at the entrance is an admittedly small exhibit about the past history of the building. More could be done to put this information throughout the hotel, but I won't hold it against them. We had an incredible (socially distant) conversation with Laura (please forgive me if I got that wrong) who knew all about the history of the building and the grounds. She really went above and beyond in our eyes and truly made the whole stay that much better. As for the renovation work, some things are left to be desired but I was overwhelmingly pleased with the work done inside the space they occupy. As an interested preservationist I actaully had snuck into the structure years ago to document it, before the occupancy of Hotel Henry. Comparing the building now to how it appears in my photos is really impressive. The hotel retains many historic features, even down to the doors in some wards and original hardware wherever practical. Opening the doorway into the stairwells made me gasp, as they are left almost exactly as they were aside from being remarkably clean. Some areas of the hotel were off limits so unfortunately we weren't able to fully explore the structure. However, after having such a great experience, I have no doubt we will be back once covid is dealt with and we have more access to the wonderful structure."

"So, the urban look and feel is really cool. The room was impeccably cleaned (I don't look for dirt or hairs but I seem to find them all - but NOT here). Because it is so spacious, it is so quiet (inside and out except maybe around the restaurant at Happy Hour). The room was spacious. My only problem was...the A/C vents are near the top of the 20 foot ceilings and you only feel the cool air if you hold your door open and it is pulled down. So, I would definitely revisit the place in spring or fall and avoid during the summer...and maybe the winter assuming the heat is stuck at the top of the room, too."

"Spent the weekend here and will be back!!! An impressive property with an interesting history, they have made such interesting use of the building. You can spend the entire weekend at the hotel and never be bored. The collection of art is beautiful, the nooks for reading are beautiful. The bar makes great craft drinks and the food is excellent. The staff is OUTSTANDING, friendly and very very helpful. Yes, the building is confusing but you are never left to figure it out. A member of the staff always came up to me and offered to help. Chris at the front desk was fantastic! Talking with the staff from the front desk to the servers at the bar and resto was a pleasure. Highly recommend!!!!!"

"I went for happy hour, and I was really impressed. The renovations that were done are just amazing. The glass entryway from the parking lot was a great welcome to a beautiful building that kept many of the original design features intact. I shared some of the crispy potatoes, and the bartender did a great job of selling them. They were as good as described, and went well with a shared order of the hummus. The hummus plate was the best I've had in Buffalo. The grounds looked great, and every staff member was a pleasure to speak with. The artwork was an interesting collection and a nice bonus to the happy hour food. I'll be looking for an excuse to stay here, and I'll definitely come back for another happy hour."

"Stayed here over thanksgiving weekend and loved every minute. Place is so beautiful and well decorated. The rooms felt luxurious and all the soft furnishings were immaculate. Room was a little cold and the heater rather noisy but the reception provided us with extra blankets. The best thing about this place is it’s history. Be sure to look that up. Also be sure to book onto the tour of the abandoned wing. It’s fascinating."