Midtown Manhattan’s Library Hotel – A book Lover’s Oasis

A hotel worth checking out in Midtown Manhattan is the Library Hotel on Madison Avenue. It’s heady to think that anyone would have any time in New York City to sit down and do any reading at all, but the amenities of this hotel bend over backwards to entice you to do just that. The hotel is located just a couple of blocks from the New York Public Library, but it’s entirely possible the hotel will have much of the reading material you’re looking for. It’s also situated in the heart of the best shopping offerings of nearby 5th Avenue.

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One of the most enticing aspects is your choice of a room that contains the books of your interest. When I booked, the only room left was in the Art Book category, and I thoroughly enjoyed ending my day paging through books of the art of Salvadore Dali and others. A nice touch for the solo traveler is the stocked bookshelves in the breakfast lounge. Along with many of the daily newspapers on hand, a single diner need not ever feel out of place.

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The following material is taken as excerpts from the Library Hotel’s website:

Each of the Library Hotel New York City’s guest room floors are dedicated to one of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System*: Social Sciences, Literature, Languages, History, Math & Science, General Knowledge, Technology, Philosophy, The Arts and Religion. Each of the sixty exquisitely appointed rooms have been individually adorned with a collection of art and books relevant to one distinctive topic within the category of the floor it belongs to. Choose your favorite or explore the unique delights of each room, one visit at a time.

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Personal service goes one step further as guests may request their room based on their interests (subject to availability) such as the Literature floor featuring subjects from Poetry or The Classics to Erotic Literature. Such intriguing room themes offered on the Math and Science floor are Astronomy and Botany. Law, Eastern Religion, Money, and New Media are also among the 60 eclectic themes available on the room menu at The Library Hotel.

Bookmarks Lounge

In the evening, the 14th Floor, featuring the Poetry Garden, Writer’s Den, and magnificent granite bar, transforms into Bookmarks Lounge. Bookmarks serves such signature cocktails as the Great Gatsby and the Capote. It also offers a full premium bar and an attractive wine, beer and champagne selection. The lounge is open to the public from 4pm-12am, Monday through Saturday, but can also be booked for private evening corporate & social receptions as well as wine tastings.

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When Bookmarks is not in operation, Library Hotel guests may enjoy bottled spring water, fresh fruit or a place for quiet respite and relaxation.

Other exclusive options open to our hotel guests include complimentary European Style deluxe continental breakfast buffet served every morning and our Wine and Cheese Reception every evening in our book filled 2nd Floor Reading Room.

As our guest, you will enjoy on a complimentary basis:

European Style deluxe continental breakfast buffet served every morning
Cappuccino, Cafe Au Lait, Espresso, Cookies, Whole Fruits served all day
Wine and Cheese Reception in the Reading Room every evening 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Selection of Local and National Newspapers
High speed Wireless Internet throughout the hotel
24 hour Computer stations with printer
Complimentary passes to NY Sports Club
DVD library of the American Film Institute’s top 100 films of the 20th Century.
Complimentary Cable including premium movie channels
Access to Reading room 24 hours a day
Access to Poetry Garden and Writer’s Den unless a special event is in session

In Room Amenities:

Flat Panel television
Mini bar
Safe
Down Blankets
100% Egyptian cotton linen
Signature bathrobes
Slippers
Hand held Hairdryers
iHome MP3 Dock / Alarm Clock Radio
Complimentary bottles water upon arrival
Thymes Azur Bath Products
Multiple phone lines with voice mail
High speed Wireless Internet access

Additional Services:

Room Service
Discount parking nearby
Concierge Service
Same day laundry/dry-cleaning (except on Sundays & holidays)
Limousine/sedan arrangements

Facilities:

Reading Room
Poetry Garden with terrace
Writer’s Den with fireplace, flat panel television and enclosed garden terrace
Executive Inspiration Boardroom for 12 people
Madison & Vine Restaurant
24 hour access to computer stations and printer
The Library Hotel New York is a member of HKHotels.

Address 299 Madison Avenue at 41 Street, New York, NY, 10017
Location On 41st St. just East of Madison Ave. Midtown Manhattan amidst New York City’s most prestigious shops restaurants, offices, theater and culture.

Three Blocks from Times Square/ Theater District. One block from Grand Central Terminal.
Parking Caliber Parking, 90 Park Ave.(39th. St. between Park Ave. and Madison Ave. on Right hand site) $30 per 24 Hrs.
212-983-4500

reservations@libraryhotel.com
www.libraryhotel.com
Languages Languages Spoken at the Library Hotel: Slovak, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Danish, French, German, Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Gujarati and English.
Rating Deluxe
Transportation
15 miles or one hour driving from JFK
About 8 miles or 30 minutes from LaGuardia
16 miles or one hour from Newark International

Bus service to Grand Central (1 block from Library Hotel) bus from and to JFK and LGA airports from and to Newark airport: Bus or Train

From Train Station:
10 blocks or 10 minutes taxi ride from Penn Station
1 block or 2 minutes walk from Grand Central
5 blocks or 5 minutes taxi ride from bus terminal
Subway: 4, 5, 6, 7, S to 42nd St./Grand Central

Number of Rooms 60 rooms
Room Types
Love Room w/terrace
Junior Suite/king bed
Deluxe/queen bed
Petite/single bed
Family Unit/2 rooms

Room Amenities Bottled spring water, Belgian chocolates, individual temperature control with air conditioning, two-line speaker phones, data ports, voice mail and high speed Internet access, TV with 36 premium cable channels, DVD player with complimentary selection from our DVD library of the American Film Institutes top 100 films, mini bar, in room safe, book titles according to room subject, complimentary deluxe continental breakfast buffet, complimentary wine and cheese each evening from 5-8pm, complimentary refreshments throughout the day including international coffees, cappuccino, espresso, teas, fruit and cookies, newspapers, complimentary privileges at nearby New York Sports Club.
Bath Room Amenities Plush Bath robes, telephone, hand held hair dryers and scald proof shower/bathtub, Natura toiletries, makeup/shaving mirror, and more
New York Forecast www.weather.com
Broadway Information on plays and musicals
Health Club For exercise or relaxation, there is complimentary use of the New York Sports Club
Afternoon Snacks Reading Room / Second Floor Complimentary afternoon tea, coffee, cappuccino, espresso, cafe au lait, cookies and fruits are always available in the Reading Room. Imported champagne, fine wines and a selection of cheeses are served Monday – Sunday evenings.
Breakfast
Complimentary breakfast buffet is served in the Reading Room on the second floor Monday – Friday from 7:00am to 10:30am and Saturday and Sunday until 11:00am

Hard boiled eggs, yogurts, a selection of cereals, assorted Danish, scones, muffins and bagels, butter, cream cheese, peanut butter and jams, fresh whole fruits and fruit salad, a selection of international coffees, teas and juices.

Restaurants
Madison & Vine, the hotel’s brand new first floor American Bistro and International Wine Bar serves lunch & dinner. Casually elegant, it’s sure to become one of the neighborhood’s most popular spots to enjoy a quick bite and a glass of wine or an exquisite meal.

Hours of operation are:
Monday – Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday: Closed

Madison & Vine’s savory cuisine can also be ordered as private dining for in room enjoyment.

Check In &
Check Out Time Check in time is 3pm. Should you arrive earlier and your room is not as yet ready, we will be happy to store your baggage for you. Check out time is 1:00 PM. Please call our reception if your departure is delayed. We will make every effort to accommodate you.
Dry Cleaning Hotel offers same day dry cleaning for articles handed in before 9:00am Monday to Friday.
Internet Complimentary High Speed T-1 access in all rooms and wireless internet access in the Reading Room and Business center.
Newspapers Complimentary New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today, are available in Reading Room.
Religious Service
St.Patrick’s Cathedral (Catholic). 5th Avenue and 50th Street. Tel. (212) 753-2261
Temple Emanu-El Fifth Ave. at 65th St., NY 10021; (212) 744-1400. Largest modern synagogue with early Romanesque architecture incorporating Byzantine and Near-Eastern designs. Seven days.
St. Peter’s Church 619 Lexington Ave. (54th St.), NY 10022; (212) 935-2200. (Lutheran) Art galleries; Off-Broadway theatre; weekday lunch time music — classical, jazz, opera, cabaret; permanent art installations. Gift shop
St. Paul’s Chapel Broadway at Fulton and Vesey Sts., NY 10006; (212) 602-0872. (Episcopal) National landmark built in 1766. George Washington worshiped here. Exhibits
Sister Hotels
The innovative and much acclaimed HKHotels collection includes the glamorous Hotel Giraffe on 26th and Park Avenue South; the book-lovers paradise, the Library Hotel on 41st and Madison Avenue; the country French Style Hotel Elysée on East 54th and Madison Avenue; and the Moroccan motif Casablanca Hotel on 43rd just off Broadway. Currently, designs for new HKHotels are in the works in other key locations in the US, Canada and Europe.

ZAGAT (R)
ZAGAT RATINGS AND REVIEWS
Like a library, the rooms in this Midtown boutique hotel are “full of peace and tranquility” (though “tiny”) and each one is dedicated to a subject (love, dinosaurs, romance, etc.); bookworms find it “intimate and friendly” with “complimentary breakfast in the AM and wine and cheese in the evening” along with a “fancy espresso machine” in the lounge, not to mention “superb service” that extends to rainy days, when “a doorman offers umbrellas” – though you might “not want to leave” this refuge in any weather.

The Library Hotel New York is a member of HKHotels. Please visit our sister New York City hotels: www.elyseehotel.com, www.hotelgiraffe.com, www.casablancahotel.com

http://www.libraryhotel.com/index.cfm

January 23, 2010   Posted in: Hotels General News, United States East