If you’re a fan of good books, great atmosphere and a perfect New York City location, The Library Hotel is just what you’ve been looking for.
Located at a super-convenient spot at 41st and Madison, you’re a block from the city’s main library at Bryant Park, a leafy oasis in Midtown with a stunning interior, a stellar rooftop bar and tons of great amenities.
Forty first street in this area is known as Library Way, and you’ll find wonderful quotes about books and literature in golden plaques embedded in the sidewalks along the street.
Grand Central Terminal is two short blocks away, which means you can get almost anywhere in the city very quickly. Subway rides are about $3, and trains run frequently all over the city.
Relaxing on the rooftop at the Library Hotel New York City in summer.
The hotel is quite unusual; with all the rooms set around the Dewey Decimal System that libraries use around the world. At a library, books about different subjects are grouped into the Dewey Decimal system and given a number so you can find what you want at any library. At the Library Hotel, you’ll find rooms on each floor mirror that system, at least somewhat. I was in room 403 during my recent visit. Since books in the 400 category of the Dewey Decimal system are about literature, and books in the 430’s are about German and Germanic literature, I had German books.
It’s very clever, but that’s probably not what keeps people coming back. I mentioned the location, but there’s also a lovely feel to the place. The lobby has hundreds of books on display and a warm, welcoming staff.
The rooftop bar is fantastic, with an outdoor section that offers great views of nearby skyscrapers (and a bit of the Empire State Building) and fabulous lighting. They also have two glassed in areas and a main bar. One of the protected areas has comfy couches with dark brown sofas and chairs, black and white striped settees and towering plants. There’s also a fireplace for cozy winter nights; or days, when it makes for a lovely reading room.
The lounge at the Library Hotel serves a lovely breakfast and a large buffet of snacks in the evening. It’s a great place to relax during the day, too.
Drinks at the bar also carry a literary theme, such as the Catcher in the Rye, the Don Quixote or the F. Scotch Fitzgerald, a smoky and powerful mix of brown buttered Glenmorangie 10-year-old Scotch, Campari and Carpano Antica. There’s also a Tequila Mockingbird and an orange-red Dante’s Inferno.
One of the truly terrific features of the hotel is the free breakfast, which is laid out in a pretty, sunny room on the second flor that features more books and even a piano near the window. You’ll find a wide selection of yogurts, pastries, juices, fresh fruit, bagels (they’ll toast your bagel if you ask), cereal and a cappuccino/espresso machine, as well as drip coffee. Grab a free New York Times and linger over the most important meal of the day.
At night (5 to 8 p.m.), the space turns into a wonderful spot for free drinks and enough appetizers that you could probably forego your evening meal. They serve free, unlimited red and white wine as well as Prosecco. Food options include tasty olives, crackers, bread, fruit, nuts and a variety of cheeses, charcuterie? And more. A feast for the eyes, and the stomach.
A room at the Library Hotel in New York City.
The room is open all the time for coffee, pastries, cookies and fruit
Rooms vary in size but are lovingly decorate with beautiful prints and those wonderful books. Our room was on the small side, but there was a desk with a chair and free Wi-Fi, a mini-fridge and plenty of storage space. The bathroom was quite good-sized, with a nice tub and shower and marble all around, as well as Gilchrist and Soames bath products.
There’s no on-site fitness centre but they’ll give you a pass to a nearby sports club if you wish. I didn’t see it, but a friend told me it’s a great facility.
The Library Hotel is part of the Library Hotel Collection, which also includes the Giraffe Hotel, Casablanca Hotel and Hotel Elysee, all in New York City. They also own the Aria hotels in Budapest and Prague, which often are rated the best in Europe on Trip Advisor.
The Library Hotel’s front entrance.
The Library Hotel Collection recently expanded into Canada and opened Hotel X Toronto, which has a fabulous design and a crazy-long list of awesome amenities, including two theatres, an art gallery, a rooftop bar that’s open year-round (and partly covered), a sun-tanning lawn, several bars and much more. Coming this year, I’m told, they’ll have a brewpub operating next door in an historic building.
The views of downtown Toronto and Lake Ontario are outstanding, and the design is bright and modern. They even had an artist travel the world to take marvellous photographs that they’ve mounted all around the hotel.
