Lined with high-end boutiques and designer stores, Fifth Avenue is the classy stretch of an otherwise chaotic midtown. But the historic strip isn’t all about frivolous shopping sprees—it’s also littered not only with shiny cultural institutions (the Rockefeller Centre, St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York Public Library) as well as wonderfully extravagant hotels like Andaz 5th Avenue.
Established in 2010, the Andaz 5th Avenue adds to the gilded luxury of the street with loft-like rooms, modernist touches and a splash of art to tie it all together. Its central location is the perfect find if you are looking to upgrade your New York experience, particularly if your travels take you to midtown.
Why stay at Andaz 5th Avenue?
You can’t really beat this place’s location. Andaz 5th Avenue sits just steps away from attractions that even New Yorkers actually visit, and trains are super accessible from Bryant Park subway (just one block away) and Grand Central Terminal (one of the city’s largest transit hubs).
The hotel is a highly recommended find to those traveling during the winter months, as the glitz of 5th Avenue paired with the sparkle of Bryant Park’s seasonal offerings makes for a holiday to remember.
What are the rooms like at Andaz 5th Avenue?
The hotel houses 184 rooms, with a mix of studios and two-bedroom stays: 47 of these rooms are dedicated to spacious suites, fashioned with kitchenettes and terraces.
Staying in the One Bedroom Terrace Suite for the evening, I felt like I was living in a mini modernist apartment in the sky. The room opened up to a spacious, albeit stark living room, solely fashioned with a gray sectional, two stacking marble tables and a desk, with the sleek 54” silver flat-screen being the only thing on the wall. Since I brought my pup, she too was welcomed with a grey doggie bed and bowls with its own bottle of water tucked inside. Black accordion panels hid a kitchenette with motion sensor lights that flicked on, complete with a Nespresso, and, brace yourself, a full-sized fridge stocked with complimentary snacks. The twelve-foot ceilings and double-paned windows that looked out onto the city below only added to the expansive feeling of it all. Yet the accompanying terrace was New York small, meaning there was enough space to fit a round table and a backless bench for one, and not much else. However, it did offer prime people-watching opportunities of the crowds traversing outside the New York Public Library.
The bathroom—accessible by the bedroom or behind a semi-hidden door that opens automatically off the main room—featured a mix of black tiles and reddish brown marble, a walk-in shower with a luxe rainfall shower head and dual metal sinks that sat inside a handsome glass countertop. A feature of every room, each shower houses a black porcelain footbath, and even a separate spigot to fill it up, made to relax tired feet after a day on the streets. The bedroom also does well in the relaxation category, as a panel next to the king bed controls the room, making it easy to turn off the lights and shut the shades with a press of a button.
Where are the best places to eat and drink nearby?
Before you venture out, don’t count out the hotel’s restaurant and bar. Located on the basement floor, The Bar Downstairs and Kitchen easily could’ve been fashioned into a club, what with its exposed brick, black paneled walls and a hint of secrecy to it all. But the aptly named restaurant is a dependable find for in-house cured gravlax and scrambles of chorizo for breakfast and fig flatbreads and steak frites for dinner. If you don’t mind a chat with an affable staff, park it at the bar, particularly if you want a walk through its smoking collection of cocktails.
But if you have your hunger set outside of the hotel, there is plenty to find, regardless of the bad rap midtown restaurants often get. If you happen to be traversing through Grand Central Terminal, you can always pop in for a quick meal of golden fried chicken at the fast-casual arm of Melba’s or sit a spell at one of New York’s “one of a kind” restaurants, Grand Oyster Bar. As for libations, the landmark bar inside the train station, The Campbell, is a solid find for a taste of classics. But if you’d rather have a beer over cocktails, there are two stellar breweries within a brisk walk of the hotel: TALEA Beer Co. and Other Half Brewing.
What is the service like at Andaz 5th Avenue?
You might be a bit surprised at the service when walking inside Andaz 5th Avenue, mostly because the long check-in desk that generally separates you from the staff is nonexistent. Instead, the experience is folded into the lounge area, as receptionists and concierge staff hover near the elevator, checking in guests at a makeshift stand with tablets in hand. I lamented a bit at their plight, as the design smells of a tech bro who thinks this breeds efficiency in some way.
Regardless of the newfangledness of it all, the check-in experience was kind, swift and efficient, and I had a key, a cold bottle of sparkling water in hand and an invite to complimentary wine hour (that happens every day at 5pm) all within ten minutes of entering the building.
What amenities are offered at Andaz 5th Avenue?
Mornings in the lounge include complimentary coffee and tea and the aforementioned wine hour in the evenings. Unlike other hotels that stock their shelves with blank books all for aesthetic purposes, the shelves in the lobby feature a well-curated selection of reads courtesy of their next-door neighbor, the New York Public Library. Oh, and Andaz houses its very own exhibition space: 5th Avenue Gallery. Supporting local artists through its “Artist in Residence Program”, the street-level space has played host to artist installations, tattoo parlors and a permanent jewelry store.
What’s the area like around Andaz 5th Avenue?
With the hotel’s prime location on 5th Avenue, guests have a lineup of attractions that hit a mix of culture, retail and glamour. The hotel’s proximity to Bryant Park makes it one of the best stays in midtown, no matter the time of year. In the wintertime, Bryant Park Winter Village comes twinkling into existence, replete with a bustling Christmas market and an ice skating rink. Warmer summer months bring free outdoor concerts and movies to the park. The New York Public Library is also just across the street, which was named one of the most beautiful in all of America. History buffs can take in the grand facade of the 114-year-old library if they book a room with a terrace.
Why should you book a stay at Andaz 5th Avenue?
For those who wish to dream like they do live in New York, they can soft-launch the fantasy at Andaz 5th Avenue. The hotel’s elevated and loft-like interiors make you feel like you are living large in the city, even if only for the night. Plus, its prime location near some of New York’s top attractions make for a trip to remember.
DETAILS
Address: 485 5th Ave, New York, NY 10017
Price per night: Standard room rates begin at $549/night, Standard King Room starts at $508/night
Closest transport link: 4, 5, 6, 7, and S subway lines, the Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Railroad at Grand Central 42nd Street; M, D, F, B trains at 42nd Street-Bryant Park; LaGuardia Airport is a 45-minute drive; JFK International Airport is an hour drive.
Book now: via Booking.com
Time Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do help us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.