The Library Hotel is not your average hotel; it is unique in a city that has no shortage of imagination. This is a charming, peaceful, 60-room boutique hotel at the center of all the bustle, attractions and connections most travellers seek. I grew up in New York, and our daughter lived there many years. It's wonderful to have found such a low-key, comfortable place to stay--a sanctuary of calm after a full day in New York.
So far, I have been coming here alone primarily for business or to visit extended family. The front desk personnel are remarkably welcoming, earnest and helpful, as is the doorman. I like that nobody hovers over the guests (the first time I arrived very early and was able to work quietly in the Reading Room until my meeting), but if you ask for something (an early cup of coffee in your room) it's at the door in minutes.
The rooms are small yet beautifully arranged, so that they feel more efficient than cramped to me. This is New York, where space is at a premium; if the tradeoff is an intimate hotel with a variety of small, library-related public spaces and an unusual range of free amentities (including excellent wi-fi), that seems a decent deal. The bedding is of high quality, and the bathrooms are modern and well-appointed. Even the warm presence of books in the rooms once led me to a title I might not otherwise have noticed.
If you are coming into Manhattan via Amtrak and Penn Station (34th Street), it's easy to take the Subway one stop to Times Square (42nd Street), where you get the "S" shuttle across town to Grand Central (also 42nd). The Library Hotel is on 41st Street at Madison. From the hotel you can walk to an amazing array of New York attractions; if not, the subway hub at Grand Central is within minutes of the front door. For solo travellers who decide against venturing out to dine on a given evening, Madison and Vine, connected to the hotel, is convenient.
Yes, the Library Hotel is pricey, but not out of line for Manhattan. They also have significant special deals that are worth watching. This hotel seems to genuinely care about its guests.
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