We had a great stay at The Normandy. Some low-rated reviews mentioned the age of the rooms, decor etc and wallpaper peeling etc and while that may be somewhat true, it certainly wasn't that bad and absolutely no worse than any other hotel of this age, available at Normandy's prices... so we felt it was quite comfortable and nice for the price vs other boutiques we have stayed in. 5-stars for the bedding & mattress, which is where you spend most of your hotel time.
One thing that DID seem true was that the room was really warm (in February) and the thermostat didn't seem to do much to adjust the temperature. Since it was cold outside, we just cracked the window and it was fine (another reason to love hotels where you can still open the windows, by the way). Your mileage may vary based on the time of year you visit and how they've set the building HVAC.
ALL the staff we encountered were wonderful. On our way out, a gentleman from housekeeping was making the rounds in the hallway. He cheerfully said hello and wished us a good day and we let him know we were checking out of our room. We had parked down the street out front and as I was loading the last bag, the young man from the front desk ran up holding my wife's hairbrush, which we had left in the room. The return of that $2 brush took the coordinated care and flat-out hustle of several staff members and proves that "guest service" is still alive and well, at least at the Normandy. We will happily stay again.