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Library Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
299 Madison Ave(between 41st St & 42nd St)
New York, NY 10017
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 983-4500
- Nearest Transit:
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Grand Central - 42 St (S)
Grand Central - 42 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
5 Av (7, 7X)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6 am - 5:30 am
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
49 reviews for Library Hotel
Review Highlights
"...included with your room, wine and cheese each evening from..."
(in 10 reviews)
"...champagne in the outdoor Poetry Garden and enjoyed a view..."
(in 5 reviews)
"Not the best books and no multimedia (cd's, dvd's, etc."
(in 17 reviews)
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49 reviews in English
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Review from Justin A.
10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
The best room is the Love Room, 1106, with a nice balcony and great view of the public library.
Honestly, this hotel is great. I can't say much that hasn't already been said but I will add , almost verbatim, that the front desk staff is helpful and and the rooms are very clean. The rooms are also large for a NYC hotel.
The Library Hotel offers a breakfast (although I never made it) and wine and cheese for 3 hours. That is a nice touch for a hotel. There is also a large rooftop bar with an outdoor space that is very nice.
Come here for a centrally located hotel that doesn't feel like a Wyndham or Marriot. This hotel has character and is immaculate. -
Review from Shanti N.
Chesterfield, MO
10/25/2011
If you like books and a boutique hotel atmosphere this is the spot for you. Although it's a bit pricier than other options in the area, the amenities--complimentary snacks/drinks throughout the day, continental breakfast, access to rooftop bar, and a comprehensive happy hour spread--can't be beat. The location is excellent as well--walking distance to Grand Central/trains, Fifth Avenue shopping, Bryant Park, Times Square and, of course, the public library (shout out to Patience and Fortitude).
My mom and I stayed here a handful of nights and found the room to be well appointed, if not spacious. For the size of the room, it might have been a good idea to dispense with the round table and small reading chair--as every bibliophile knows, bed is the best place to curl up with a good book, and there was no shortage of reading/lounging spaces throughout the hotel. There is not an on-site gym but passes were provided to the New York Sports Club, just up the street. I also appreciated the daily selection of complimentary newspapers (my favorite--the New York Times followed by a New York Post chaser). I would definitely return when in need of a treat in NYC. -
Review from Susan K.
New Canaan, CT
1/19/2012
If you like condescending attitudes, you will really love this hotel.
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Review from Rowena Y.
11/22/2011
I came here for my birthday drinks at the rooftop bar and it was really REALLY quiet for a Saturday night. Not that there was anything wrong with it but if you're expecting some loud music, then this place is not for you. I didn't really mind it because I wanted something laid-back and relaxing; especially with my closest friends. The place has a nice sky roof where you can get a view of midtown. I'm a winter baby so I didn't exactly linger around the outdoor portion of the rooftop. The staff were generally friendly and attentive. Our bartender kept coming back to our table and asked if we wanted more drinks and appetizers. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. Below the rooftop bar is the actual hotel itself. In case you ever can't make it back home after all the drinking, you may potentially find a room to sleep over the night...and that I have never tried.
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Review from John S.
Santa Cruz, CA
7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here with ten people, occupying three different rooms, and I heard nothing but raves from everyone (good thing too, since I picked the hotel!).
The location is amazing. Walk out of the hotel and you're only steps away from Bryant Park, Madison Ave shopping, Grand Central, and the NY Public Library (duh). It was great having a subway stop on the orange line only two blocks away because the orange line will take you quite far north or south without having to transfer.
Our room was a junior suite. All the junior suites (which end in 06) are on the same corner of the building and give three-way views up and down Madison Ave as well as across 41st Street to the library. Across the street you can even see the Madison Avenue executives doing what brings in the big $: playing solitaire on their PCs.
The breakfasts each morning are über convenient and probably saved us $100 a day if not more. There are hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit, juices, bagels (they will toast them for you), cereal, yogurt, and the pastries are bakery fresh.
The wifi was a bit slow at times but it's free and was available in all parts of the hotel that I visited.
One nit: the AC is pretty damn loud and seems to kick on and off every minute or so. -
Review from Rob D.
7/17/2011
For the bar/rooftop only.
Overall, it was a good experience. It was not crazy crowded (a Sunday 7pm-10pm), but happening enough. The rooftop area is not too big.
I grade their cocktail list at a B, ambiance is a B, crowd looked good for after work scene. Music was nice and still a great conversation spot (i.e. not too loud).
I've been hunting for rooftop patio bars - and in midtown - this is a decent option. -
Review from Romana claretta H.
Long Island City, NY
7/20/2011
i held my 26th bday party here at the rooftop and had an absolutely fantastic time! the staff was so helpful and accommodating. We had access to 3 separate spaces...the indoor, were we ate orderves, had yummi drinks, and did my cake cutting.
then the outdoor space with amazing views of the city skyline. we chatted and took tons of photos by a hired photographer! then the opposite end, which was also outdoors, but very cozy, warm and inviting seating area. we had a private comedy show entertain us for about an hr.
one of the best birthdays i've ever celebrated. felt like a royal princess! -
Review from Erik F.
San Jose, CA
6/17/2011
I spent two nights at the Library Hotel last week and had a great time. The staff was very friendly and outgoing. The room (Ancient Religions!) was clean and quite spacious, and we even got a few of the library. Great bathroom as well. We didn't have a lot of time to look through the books in our room but I did see books on Kabbalah, ancient Egypt and the Crusades. Great books to look through, just not enough time!
The free breakfast was simple -- pastries, cereal, fruit and coffee/tea/juice -- and was fine as well. We did have drinks at the rooftop bar one night and the service and drinks were great, but for me it was a little too dark. I felt there could have been a bit more lighting (we were out on the covered patio area, stage right to the bar).
My one suggestion, and maybe this is the case in some of other rooms -- but I feel like with a library theme there should be either a soft couch or big chair in each room so guests can really dig in to the whole reading theme. We had one chair but it was very standard, upright with minimal padding, not really something someone would read in (maybe to just sit and put shoes on, or something more appropriate for a waiting room). Not a complaint, just a suggestion.
Overall, I had a great time and would most certainly come back. -
Review from Corey F.
Portland, OR
12/14/2010
As good as it gets indeed. This hotel was the perfect spot for a magical New York weekend away from San Francisco.
Location. We walked everywhere or took a train from Grand Central Station for longer trips. Grand Central Station is literally around the corner from the hotel. Our walking adventures included a visit to 30 Rock, the broadway theatres, the MOMA, the Garment District, and Hell's Kitchen. You can see the New York Public Library from the rooftop garden and it's literally a stones throw from the hotel. Midtown Manhattan is a great place to stay.
Rooms. We loved our room. Both my partner and I are huge music buffs so we were thrilled to find our request for the Music room satisfied. Not the best books and no multimedia (cd's, dvd's, etc.) but the ipod docking station allowed us to dj our experience. Living in SF, I don't expect huge rooms but to quote Goldilocks, the queen room "was just right" for 2 adults. Turn-down service with chocolates and weather for the next day were excellent touches.
Free Stuff. Awesome breakfast buffet in the reading room complete with fresh fruit, baked goods and coffee each morning. Served by smiling, warm staff that were very attentive. Wine tastings in the evening which really turned into wine binges due to the robust pours and cheerful attendants working the room. The last night, we took our wine to the 14th floor atrium to sit by the fire and get cozy. She gave me tray to carry all of our goodies and we had the room to ourselves for good amount of time.
Nice People. Wonderful and warm, they took care of everything and made us feel special.
This was our first time staying at the Library Hotel and hope it will not be our last. The price is commensurate with its location and quality. And when you factor in all the free wine, coffee and baked good we shared, we feel we came out ahead. When we return to NYC, we've decided that we're staying here again. I highly recommend it. -
Review from Rima C.
Manhattan, NY
8/4/2011
Beautiful rooftop seating area, where you can sit, relax, enjoy a wonderfully prepared cocktail. They have little seating areas, some shrubs, tables, candles glowing...chatting with friends, having a drink and feeling the breeze at a place like this makes for the best summer night.
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Review from Hugh K.
Wakefield, MA
1/8/2011
What a wonderful experience, even for a night. I was greeted like family by the doorman AJ, a very funny and extroverted (and okay, cards on the table: adorable) guy who showed me around my room (Ethics, 1102) on the Philosophy floor (11). All the books on the shelves were ethics-related, including my favorite, A Good Look at Evil. The front desk staff were just as nice, and one of the guys stood out in the freezing cold for 15 minutes in his fashionable peacoat to snag me a cab during Rush Hour.
My room was handsome, compact, very well laid out. Excellent built-in work desk. The second-floor Reading Room for continental breakfast was chic and understated, the staff were warm and genuinely nice there as well and the food was a cut above. Never made it to the roof deck bar or the adjoining restaurant but the restaurant was packed on a Thursday night in January so they must be doing something right. Obviously too cold for the poetry garden: we were getting snow and Bloomberg sent 10 plows through it just to make sure he didn't get in trouble again.
No gym in house, but there's a very good New York Sports Club five blocks down on 36th and Madison. The location is great if you like the East Side. I walked from 41st about 20 blocks up to John Lobb, Baccarat, and the new Hermes Men's Store, where I saw a nice little alligator jacket for only $76,000 and decided to pass. But you've also got the Morgan Library and plenty of cultural offerings close by, and you're only a short cab ride from Eleven Madison Park if you want to die and go to culinary heaven.
My room was $269, which I thought was a bargain and a much better overall experience than Morgans Hotel a few blocks away. This place is a real gem. -
Review from joe z.
San Francisco, CA
5/24/2010
Reading through the reviews I'm not seeing much about the location of the hotel, but let me tell you, for the quality of the hotel it's tough to beat for the price. A block to Grand Central and a close enough walk to most midtown sites.
That in combination with the hotel being clean, having well appointed bathrooms, a great roof top bar with out door seating, and polite staff makes this a good bet for work or vacation.
The reading room is a nice add on, but I can't think of many hotels that don't offer food and drinks for free, and at the price level of the Library it should be expected.
Anyhow, it won't blow you away, but it's a solid 4 stars without a doubt when compared to other boutique hotels in Manhattan. -
Review from Andy H.
Brooklyn, NY
8/25/2009
There are hotels...and then there are HOTELS. Located off the corner of East 41 street (aka Library Way) and Madison Avenue is one of the best concept hotels I have ever visited. The Library Hotel exudes a cool/intelligent/elegant vibe that is a true rarity by today's hotel standards.
The hotel is constructed of brick and terra cotta, which really helps it stand out from the other office buildings surrounding it. The charming entrance of the Library leads you into there cozy lobby just to the right. The front desk was insanely nice and informative upon check-in.
What is so cool about the Library Hotel is that no two rooms are the same. Based upon the Dewey Decimal System, all 10 floors have their own theme, which include Social Sciences, Literature, Languages, History, Math & Science, General Knowledge, Technology, Philosophy, The Arts and Religion.
I was lucky enough to snag a junior suite with king size bed with sofa bed. I stayed on the 7th floor, which was all about "The Arts." The theme for my room was "Fashion & Design." Now while I could not tell you the difference between Gucci and Gap clothing or what will be "in style this Fall", I did love the room and all that it offered. Plus it had an awesome book about rock music and fashion at the foot of the bed!
The in room amenities were abundant. They included an LG flat panel television, safe, down blankets with 100% Egyptian cotton linen, signature bathrobe and slippers (which were both comfy), iHome MP3 dock/alarm clock radio, complimentary bottled water, nice smelling bath products by Thymes Azur, comfy couch (remember this was a deluxe room), complimentary high speed internet, and of course books! Lots and lots of books!
Speaking if books, remember this is the "Library Hotel", so expect to see a lot of reading material lying around this place. I mean from the lobby to the lounge, there were books galore. For someone like me who loves to read, I was in literary heaven.
Now the fun does not stop at the luxurious accommodations my friends. The Library Hotel also has tons of goodies for you to enjoy during your stay. Best of all most of them are free! They include:
* European style continental breakfast served daily each morning.
* Cappuccino, cafe au lait, espresso, cookies, and fruits served all day in the Reading Room on the second floor.
* Also located in the Reading Room between 5-8pm is a wine and cheese reception.
* Need to catch up on what's going on in the world? Enjoy a great selection of local and national newspapers.
* While high speed wireless internet is available throughout the hotel, I found it pretty slow at times.
* No laptop? No problem. The hotel offers a 24 hour computer station with a printer.
* Gym buffs can get in their daily workout with a free pass to a nearby New York Sports Club.
* Tired of reading? Then choose from over 180 complimentary DVD movies located in the lobby.
* Seriously that is a lot of freebies for one hotel!
* The Library also provides discount parking nearby, room service, concierge service & laundry/dry cleaning.
Okay so I read some books, enjoyed an impromptu pillow fight in my room (which I won by the way), ate some delicious cheeses, downed some intoxicating wines, and even rented a free DVD movie from the lobby. So, what else is there to do around this hotel? Oh yeah time to check out the rooftop!
I like to enjoy a good ol' icy cold adult beverage like the next nomad, so I was pretty excited to check out the Library Hotel's Bookmark Lounge. Located on the 14th floor, this magnificent granite bar will be the first thing you see once the elevator doors open. Step right up and enjoy such literary libations as the "Great Gatsby" or the "Capote."
Also on this floor is the hotel's "Writer's Den", which is a quaint room that provides visitors with a fireplace, flat panel television, and an enclosed garden terrace. Step through the doors that lead you outside and take in the breathtaking beauty that is the "Poetry Garden", which is a huge terrace that offers plenty of places to sit, relax, and get away from the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.
One feature of the hotel that I did not have time to check out was the lobby level restaurant called Madison & Vine. But the place was busy when I walked by it (which is always a good sign) and the decor was very cool and hip. With the prices being reasonable and the menu looking pretty tasty, I will be sure to check it out in the near future.
The Library Hotel is just minutes from many top NYC attractions and landmarks such as the Broadway/Theater District, Bryant Park and Grand Central Terminal. Plus you will have the best of the Big Apple at your front door with top restaurants, shops and nightlife.
In closing, what else do you want from a hotel? What with a super friendly staff, ideal location, extremely comfortable room and tons of freebies, never has visiting a library been so much fun. -
Review from D S.
Studio City, CA
6/30/2011
Great service, nice place to stay and agree it's hard to beat the price - especially with their internet deals - for the area. Book selection is more for looks, but great theme (said the novelist!) Also, the petite single was fine for me. Didn't feel cramped.
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Review from Lea G.
10/18/2009
I was coming into the city by train and selected this hotel based on the yelp reviews and cost. I've stayed in many hotels in NYC and I was not impressed at all with the Library Hotel. The hotel is "cute" as it is very tiny. I am petite myself and even I think it's too small. And this doesn't apply to just the room (and I've stayed in rooms in Japan and Europe which were bigger) but also to the hallways and elevator. The book theme is also "cute" but does this mean there is any substance? I was curious to see how this was going to be utilized and yes books are used in the decor and the room are numbered via the dewey decimal system. My problems are:
Front desk - poor customer service. When I checked in at 3 PM I requested dinner reservation for a specific restaurant between 8-930 The lead concierge delegated the task to Monique who was also at the front desk. I dropped my bags off and headed out on the town. Upon my return, there was no message. I had to return to the front desk where another concierge tried to confirm reservations. Well by this time it was 7:30 and it was obvious a reservation was never made. This is unacceptable. If you can't do the job - don't ask to do it.
Book selection - ehhhh. I felt like I was looking at a Friends of the Library book sale. It appears that's how they shopped for the decor. Mediocre books. Apparantly at one time these were arrange by type but now much more arranged for asthetics.
The breakfast and reading room is aedequate. The buffet staff there extremely polite and helpful. I would also add the doormen were friendly .
Location - good. Close to Grand Central. Low traffic. Some street construction (but this is NYC).
Overall I would NOT recommend. I would go to Bowrey or the Empire. You get much more and they understand what true customer service is.Listed in: Yelping the Big Apple
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Review from Amber D.
PORTER RANCH, CA
5/4/2011
I have stayed at the Library Hotel several times and love the intimate feeling as well as the amenities. While other hotels may offer more grand entrances and old world charm, the Library can not be beat for its combination of convenient location, value and intimate and comfortable public spaces in the hotel. It has become 'our place" to stay in NYC whenever we go! Also quite a romantic setting. I suggest a room service dinner in front of the fireplace in the room.
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Review from Theresa T.
San Francisco, CA
8/12/2008
If you weren't a fan of the Library back in your school days I am sure you will love this one! The Library hotel can be summed up in one simple, but very over-used term.......fab-u-lous!!!
"Let me get your bags Miss, and would you prefer the Encyclopedia or the Photography room?" Not sure what this means yet but let's kick it old school and go with the encyclopedias. Everything about this hotel becomes increasingly intriguing.
Each room possesses its own theme with books that match the topic of the room. Feel free to perouse the eclectic collection of books in your room. What a relief to find a true boutique hotel in the heart of Manhattan (midtown east), but not in the middle of Times Square. Much calmer and no worries there is still a Starbucks right across the way. The staff is unbeatable! Hands down the best I have experience. There are 60 rooms total, just 6 on each floor, so you will be a welcomed guest and taken care of very well.
Some of the many perks the hotel boast are, turn-down service with chocolates (that include quotes from Emerson and other famous literary artists) and a card that gives you a weather update for the coming morning. They have 100+ complimentary DVDs you can have delivered to your room ("When Harry Met Sally", what a great one). There is a second floor reading room that you are welcome to use whenever you would like. The hotel serves a European style B-fast included with your room, wine and cheese each evening from 5pm-8pm, and light snacks the rest of the night for you to munch on.
There is a rooftop bar called bookmarks that I wish I could have tried, and it is on my agenda for my next visit. Car arrangement to any airport is super easy, just press 0. Library Hotel is my new fave boutique hotel, you must stay here!Listed in: T-Approved
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Review from jenny l.
San Francisco, CA
3/25/2011
I booked this hotel based on Tripadvisor's rating. I made the reservation online and email to request a car to be picked up at the airport because I didn't want to deal with driving and felt safer arriving late at night. I even called the day of to confirm the car, but it was a no show. Another reason I chose the car over taxi was to surprise my niece and sister with a driver holding a sign with our name as we decent toward the luggage claim. It didn't happened and we ended up using the taxi. At check in, they had no idea what happened with my car reservation and did not follow with it during my stay. Another thing was they do not have a conceirge, so don't bother asking for directions or recommendation because the staff we spoke to was clueless.
The hotel experience was overall very pleasant. Though the elevator looks old and dirty and the shower curtain needs to be replaced. The emenities such as snacks and refreshments 24 hours a day, complimentary breakfast, and afternoon wine and cheese makes up for the other drawbacks. -
Review from Ile F.
Redwood City, CA
5/5/2008
It's our favorite place in NY. We stayed there for 2 nights for Bf's birthday. I emailed the hotel with a sincere advanced request for a free room upgrade but was turned down due to unavailability. I requested them to put a note in their system so they could do it when it's available. And it worked! They upgraded our room from deluxe Queen to King Love room. And it's the only room with balcony in the hotel!!!
The hotel has rooms in different themes, like architecture, psychology, love, world culture, technology, music ... Basically the floor plan is the same but just with different pictures and books per the theme of the room. Our room was on 11fl and facing to the NY library. The room is spacious, modern, bright and of NY essence. We couldnt' wait walking out to the balcony and enjoyed the gorgeous Madison Street view from the 11th floor. We checked out the "Love" literatures and some of them were famous publications on Love topic from various perspectives such as emotional communication, sexual relationship, family love, peace love and etc. One of the pictures in the room is the reproduction of Klimt's. The bathroom is spacious and sleek. We both felt we were really in NY!
The hotel offered nice 24-hour complimentary snacks and drinks as well as breakfast every day in the reading area. A very nice stay! -
Review from Lizelle G.
San Francisco, CA
8/15/2005 ROTD 10/20/2005
Looking for something different, we chose the Library Hotel, near the New York Public Library, and immersed ourselves in a literary experience. Over 6,000 volumes, organized by the Dewey Decimal System (remember those days?), are placed throughout the hotel for guests to peruse and enjoy. It's a small hotel with 60 thematic rooms. We were in 400.003 Languages: Germanic - Although, my father is a 1/4 German we never went beyond the occasional 'danke', so the lovely German story and poetry books went unread. The illustrations were nice though! We're hoping for The Arts next time around.
Our room was very small but so beautifully detailed, we almost forgot that we had to take turns walking across the room to avoid a low impact collision. Dark wood furnishings accented with celadon and gold tones gave the room warmth and sophistication. The hotel staff was a bit sparse but friendly and pleasant when encountered. Pulling art and photography books off the many shelves reminded me of school days and trips to the library... but more fun. There isn't a restaurant in the hotel but you can dine on a simple breakfast, afternoon tea or evening wine and cheese in the Reading Room. You'll find tables and lounge-friendly sofas surrounded by walls of books. Upstairs, in the writer's den, are big club chairs, a fireplace and terrace with a view. Before a night out, we had a glass of champagne in the outdoor Poetry Garden and enjoyed a view of the vibrant city lights.
The Library Hotel is not your typical New York swank-as-all-get-out place to stay. It has a special personality that you won't find in a lot of places, and it's quite modest by comparison. If you love books or just want something a little different, you'll find this place quite enchanting. Staying here was such a treat. I highly recommend it.
Make sure to visit their web site to see their complete list of room categories & availability: http://www.libraryhote.../ Rooming in 'Slavic' may not be so romantic. -
Review from Pam G.
New York, NY
9/3/2008
I had drinks with some friends at the Library hotel on a Thursday night. Be sure to make a reservation if you are in a group, as this place gets packed! You enter through 41st Street and go up the elevator to the top floor.
Come here to catch up with friends or go on a date, but be prepared to pay at least $15-$18 for a drink! (they are yummy and unique though)
The crowd is mostly people in their 20s-30s unwinding after work. The views are great, but it can get a little noisy on a busy night. The servers are very friendly. A must-try for New York. -
Review from Joscelyn M.
Chicago, IL
8/21/2009
This is the best hotel in the city. My wedding guests and I stayed here and every member of the staff was incredible accommodating.
The rooms are lovely and comfy, the price is surprisingly low for what you get and the lounge that's open all day for guests and has breakfast in the morning and wine at night is the best!!! -
Review from Michael D.
Culver City, CA
3/3/2008
The hotel itself is quite nice, with a good location for me. The decor really plays to my sensibilities, being a book lover. The idea of having the room numbers being Dewey Decimal numbers is cool, though in reality the numbers bear little resemblance to the actual system.
Another nice feature was the DVD players in every room with around 150 movies to borrow (no extra cost). For the most part the films are Oscar winners from over the years, with a few kids films and some popular stuff. I took advantage of this one night to watch "The Best Years of Our Lives", which I'd never seen. The TVs were nice, but smaller than I'm used to in a hotel room. This is important, because I pulled a chair up to watch the film. If you are the kind of person who wants to sit in bed and watch a film, the screen is definitely too small for that.
The decor and layout of the room was nice. All the books end up just being for show, since I always bring my own reading along on trips, but the couple pictures that matched the theme was cool. The restroom was laid out nicely and was fairly roomy.
The bed was so-so. I slept OK, but the pillows left a little to be desired. When the room rate for a single is $325 a night plus taxes, I'd expect more.
The biggest problem with this hotel room, though, was the shower. Given that I only expect two things out of a hotel room – bed and shower &nash; this is a big failing. First of all, the shower temperature wouldn't remain constant. It would occasionally get scalding hot, then a few minutes later would be tepid if not cold. At night when I just want to shower and then go to sleep, getting my adrenaline pumping like that is seriously uncool. The second annoyance was the curtain. No matter whether the bathroom door was open or not (I tried it both ways), the curtain would blow into you and stick to your skin while showering. Seriously, seriously annoying. I found it easier to lay down a towel outside the shower and just let the curtain drip onto the floor, as that was the only scheme I could come up with which didn't have that cold curtain sticking to me.
Oh, and breakfast is included. Nothing special at all, just hot drinks, bagels and muffins, and fresh fruit. Not what I'd go for on my own, but enough to tide me over until lunch. -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Salem, MA
2/1/2009
The Library Hotel is a charming, quaint, and welcoming place to stay while in NYC.
My favorite part of the Library Hotel is the Reading room. The Reading Room provides snacks and coffee throughout the whole day. Their Vanilla Nut Coffee was so delicious. I am not a big coffee drinker but they had me hooked. It was fun to sit in the reading room sipping on coffee, people watching out the window.
In the evening the reading room has a wine and cheese reception which is nice to sit and mingle with the other guests, or you can bring a glass of wine to your room.
I took advantage of their AFI top 100 Selection, although the tv's in the room were on the smaller side.
The amenities were wonderful. A con is that they don't have a gym in the hotel but they do provide complimentary passes to a gym nearby, but for me, if the gym is not in the hotel, I am most likely not going to go at all.
The hotel is extremely clean, and the furnishings are modern and classy. I did have room service, but I will write a separate review on that, because the room service is from a restaurant that is separate from the hotel and it should not reflect or take away from the hotel itself.
Igor and the men at the front desk were warm, genuine, and very helpful.
Check out packages that are available before you book your reservation, you may find something that intrigues you. -
Review from Eric V.
New York, NY
5/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
OK! for a working stop in mid-town. Nice decor. Staff was nice enough to let me recharge my iPhone at the bar.
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Review from Matthew S.
Los Angeles, CA
4/17/2010
I got engaged to my fiancee in NYC, and stayed here.
Billy and *the other guy,* can't remember his name, blonde guy at the front desk with glasses, has a cool accent... they are INCREDIBLE concierge / front desk guys. Of the best I've experienced. They really helped me out with my engagement.
Although, I was put in the "erotic literature" room... weird to get engaged and be underneath a painting of a black woman giving a guy a handjob (it's not blatant, but if you look closely, there it is). It might have been the biggest room on the floor, though. Still small, but still nice.
I do have to admit the library concept seems very haphazard--none of the books seem to be chosen with any intelligence as to why they belong together, especially in the reading room.
By the way, the Reading Room has music on in it 24/7. We spent a day at the hotel working on stuff, and we were the only ones in the reading room, and it was tuned to an easy listening station featuring the works of Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers. Nothing says "library" quite like that.
I asked to have it turned off, or at least turned down, and the guy at the front desk (not the two incredible guys) was kind of a jerk about it and repeated only "we can change the station." I was told the music was for other guests as well, but as we were the only ones in the reading room, I guess he was referring to the invisible guests or the ghosts of people who stayed here once and then moved on to a place with actual peace and quiet and not just a quaint overlay of an interesting idea onto a hotel.
They switched the station to classical, which was better, but still made it feel like I was working at a Barnes & Noble all afternoon. Eventually, they turned it off. So why the fuss? Weird.
Oh, and one of the bellhops almost blew my proposal the night we checked in. I hadn't yet proposed and planned to do it the next morning, which the hotel knew (again, awesome front desk guys), but the bellhop brought us to our room and said "I hear congratulations are an order?"
That said, it was a nice place to come back to at night, if a bit small.
Nowhere near The Standard, though. -
Review from Benson B.
New York, NY
12/15/2008
Great during the summer time to stop by for a drink before hopping the Metro North home. I went here for a coworker's good bye party and it definitely got uncomfortably crowded. This is a perfect place to meet up with just a friend or two.
The place is tiny but the outside seating feels like you're in someone's balcony, nice home-feel, garden "scenery." They also serve this refreshing Raspberry belini; fresh raspberries crushed to perfection served with champagne. -
Review from Ron R.
Milpitas, CA
9/12/2011
modern design, neat, great location- walking distance to many attractions, a lil small for the price, but had many amenities including 24 hr snacks, coffee, water, juice available (had my fill on pepperidge farm cookies for midnight snacks), plus wine and cheese in the evenings.
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Review from june b.
Columbia, MD
9/9/2011
I came here with my new husband for part of our honeymoon and we loved it! The staff were all very nice and extremely helpful, and the atmosphere of the hotel was fantastic. Walking in after a long day of traveling we were instantly relaxed by the calm quiet and soft lighting. Relaxing in the reading room in the evenings with wine cheese and snacks was a welcome treat after a long day in the hectic city. We are definitely looking forward to coming back!
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Review from tristin m.
Chicago, IL
2/17/2009
After torturing the staff with my hundreds of questions, I booked a suite for the first weekend of Fashion Week. So exciting!
I love to travel so when I'm booked to go somewhere, it's on... rain or shine.
Unfortunately, I got too sick to travel and had to cancel all my fashion week plans last minute!!
Nick at the Library Hotel was so accommodating and professional when it came to handling my cancellation that I will be sure to book this hotel for my next NY trip. -
Review from Wilt C.
Chicago, IL
8/19/2010
The Library is a wonderful small hotel with a great location. It's a peaceful oasis smack in the Midtown area within easy reach of transit and wonderful neighborhoods. The staff is very hospitable and the service was excellent. The continental breakfast as well as the wine and snacks that are served in the evening are of high quality and nicely prepared.
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Review from NYCS F.
San Francisco, CA
6/13/2009
Best Stay in NYC. I have stayed in many hotels in NYC and this hotel is definitely my top two. Actually, it is my favorite. The service was top notch and the place is extremely nice, clean and just simply amazing.
Two thumbs up. A must stay. -
Review from Hal B.
Larkspur, CO
8/11/2011
First of all the rooms don't feel like hotel rooms, it feels more like you are in a studio apartment. The library motif gives them a very warm feel and it is fun to browse the books in your room. The morning Continental Breakfast is on one hand like all the rest and on the other completely different because the quality of the food is much higher. For example, they had very good bagels. Good enough you didn't even need to toast them. Service was quite attentive throughout.
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Review from Laurel B.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2007
For my 200th review, I wanted to review something I really liked. In the past weeks, I've been disappointed with many places I've been, except for the same old lunch spots that I love in the Tenderloin (creature of habit = fewer new reviews), so I thought about what experiences I have really liked. I picked the Library Hotel. It's fantastic.
I've stayed in a lot of hotels in NY: we look around, we try to find something boutique-y and cool, we're on an expense account. Yet we are picky. Rooms are small, decor is unaesthetic. We travel a lot in Asia, and so are spoiled. But the Library Hotel (for a book-a-phile and an oenophile comme moi) is great. The rooms we've stayed in are small (they do have larger rooms and suites, but we are, um, value-conscious even on an expense account), but they are very well-appointed: flat-screen TV, super cool bathroom, nice appointments, a zen-like approach to the decor. Plus books! Each room has a different literary theme, including books in the room on that theme. For a friend's birthday, they stayed in the Erotica room, while we stayed with Japanese literature. It's hard to describe how cool that is, but it's cool. They have fantastic breakfasts (not to order, but a minimalist-but-still-good buffet with toast-your-own bagels (sigh, NY bagels) (or Miami bagels, or LA bagels) (just not SF bagels) and fruit, lattes, the like, in a room on the 2nd floor called the Library (with all the papers, and shelves of books). In the late afternoon/evening (4 to 8?), in the same room, they serve wine (including Prosecco) and cheese, and there are refreshments there (coffee, pastries, and the like) 24-7. On an upper floor, there is a place called the Writer's Grotto (big room, fireplaces) and an outdoor spot called the Poetry Garden (outdoors in NY is hard to find). You can have private parties there (we like to have friends over when we visit a city) (and heck, you can just take a bottle of champagne up there and sit outside, or by the fire!) . It was supposed to turn into a club/bar, but I don't think that ever happened (which I'm glad about) (so much better as a private bar). And finally, it's across the street from the Public Library/Bryant Park (why can't the square in front of our library and City Hall be like Bryant Park?)
I think these folks also own the Gansevoort (which I've meant to try in the summer b/c it has a pool), but we really like the Library. We are not midtown or uptown in our tastes, and we prefer lower lower Manhattan (from the Village to Nolita and beyond), but this is close to work for the BF, and it really is a literary oasis. When we went to NY, for example, to see the Gates, it was all around an outstanding experience. And Bistro DB Moderne (Daniel Boloud's bistro concept) is right there in the neighborhood (and I turned my nose up at it, resisted it, and had a truly delicious meal there, including the burger w/ f.g. that was actually all that it was hyped to be), so the Library is for us. (You think I get disappointed in high-end restaurants in SF? You should see me in NY.)
By the way, I should mention that for NY? It's really well-priced. As I mentioned above, we are value-conscious consumers. Not cheap, just value-conscious.Listed in: I'll take Manhattan, Hotels here and there, My Favorites
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Review from K W.
San Francisco, CA
6/11/2008
Exceeded every expectation! All the amenities are thoughtful and make the stay in the city seamless and enjoyable. Love the free wi-fi, 24h available snacks, slippers, superb service, central location, fresh orchids and bamboo in the rooms. Love room for 3 days, LOVED it! The private balcony was awesome to host drinks for a few friends on a balmy night. Will stay there again.
Listed in: These vagabond shoes are…
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Review from Helen Y.
Pacific Heights, San Francisco, CA
Updated - 6/2/2009 8 Check-ins Here
we decided to stay in the same hotel for our 2nd trip to nyc in less than 2 months. not only did we enjoy our stay the second time but we even got the same exact room on the 4th floor.
i love the hours of 7-11am (complimentary continental breakfast) and 5-8pm (complimentary wine and cheese) in the reading room on the 2nd floor.
the drycleaning service could use some work since i think they laundered my mom's blouse vs. drycleaned it and still charge a whopping $11 for a wrinkled cotton top.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/14/2009
1 star for location -- located on the corner of madison and 41st streets in with easy bus access to… Read more »
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Review from hallie w.
San Luis Obispo, CA
6/6/2011
Just returned from a stay at the Library Hotel with my Mom and daughter. We had a fabulous time. The staff is extremely nice and helpful. Our room was clean and large by NYC standards. The coffee is available ALL the time and delicious. And the dining room is open and easy to use for relaxing, having snacks (we brought in our own food a few times) or having breakfast, wine and cheese or cookies after a show. A great respite from the hecticness of NYC. A+
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Review from Robert M.
8/12/2008
Hidden gem in the city. Right near Grand Central and the NY library. each floor is themed to a section of the libary and each room a subsection of that. Very cool not cheesey.
Listed in: Best NYC
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Review from Jason T.
Las Vegas, NV
4/12/2010 4 photos
Stayed here for our honeymoon in NYC. Got room 706...fashion suite. The suite had enough room for us. Actually had room to relax & that's rare for NYC hotel room. I'll post pics later. Great service from hotel staff. It's a small hotel, maybe 60 rooms. So, you don't have to wait forever for the elevator! Believe me that's a major plus for NYC hotels I've been to. Having coffee & snacks available 24/7 on 2nd floor was nice. I usually went down in the morning & picked up coffee and pastries for us. There's a busy/small rooftop bar on the 14th floor "bookmarks". Overall we loved it & would recommend the suite rooms to anyone looking for a small boutique hotel in midtown.
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Review from Maria R.
New York, NY
6/11/2008
I cannot say enough about how wonderful this hotel is- I love the theme of the place- books everywhere on every subject you can think of. The staff was amazing- they brought us free bottles of wine and a huge platter of fruit and cheese, and we chose from a large selection of movies to watch- for free. There were the softest slippers/robes in the room in addition to fresh flowers. The room itself was beautiful too- the bathroom was modern and stylish and the room, although not the largest, felt spacious and was extremely comfortable. They have an amazing roof area that turns into a cafe during the day that is so relaxing. According to the other reviews theres a love room.... I've been wanting to go back, maybe I finally have a reason...
