Story by Aefa Mulholland. Photos by Aefa Mulholland (1, 4), P.D. Abbott (3), Kimpton Hotels (2).
1. It’s
the ideal address. There’s
a new hotel decorating my favorites list: Kimpton’s gorgeous 70 Park Avenue.
Despite being only a few steps from the hustle of Grand Central, once you step
through the doors of this elegant address, you’d never know you were deep in
the heart of Manhattan. Situated just off the obvious tourist radar, this
Murray Hill gem is the perfect Midtown hideaway, whether you’re in town for
work or play. My +1 and I opted for play last weekend; easily sashaying out to
shop 5th Avenue, sauntering round the corner to drink coffee in the sun outside
the library in Bryant Park, cab-ing and subway-ing to and from East and West
Village hotspots.
2. The
rooms are perfect. With
all the thrills waiting just outside the hotel, you might expect to spend very
little time in the hotel. This would be a mistake. With 42-inch plasma screen
TVs, free Wifi, L’Occitane amenities in the bathroom, understatedly hip décor
courtesy of celebrity designer Jeffrey Bilhuber, and great lighting in all 205
rooms, 70 Park Avenue is a fine place to spend the night… or the evening… or,
well, really, any part of the day. We found it hard to tear ourselves away from
our top floor suite, with its fabulous Empire State Building views and private
roof terrace, 17 floors above the Manhattan streets. Make sure and ask for a
high floor and a view – joining Kimpton’s InTouch program usually makes such
privileges more likely.
3. The
daily wine hour is a winning touch. Cheerful staff line up a tasty array of reds and whites
nightly in the lobby. We trotted in, tired from a day of shopping, and sunk
into the utterly comfortably sofas, sampled some Shiraz, and chatted with
fellow guests and their canine companions.
4.
It has an enticing tavern. Silverleaf Tavern is so enticing that we wanted
to change plans to spend time there. The Silverleaf is a delightful throwback
to classic old New York taverns and serves Panko Avocado Fries, Buffalo
Lollipop Wings, and signature entrees like Fish and Chips and Steak Frites. Oh,
yes, and killer martinis, too.
5.
The perfect staff. They’re cheerful and helpful, while
not pushy or in any way obtrusive.
6. It’s
a Kimpton! Kimpton
Hotels is the first hotel chain to get a perfect score on the Human Rights
Campaign's Corporate Equality Index four years running, as well as the first to
establish all of its properties -- 41 nationwide -- as members of the
International Gay and Lesbian Trade Association (IGLTA).
7. The
whole package. Kimpton
offers some killer packages in its New York City hotels to celebrate the LGBT
community. May 1 through July 31, you can snap up a Propose on Pride package at
70 Park Avenue, which includes deluxe accommodations, champagne cocktails on
arrival, breakfast in bed, rainbow flag and disposable camera, and a map on the
parade route ($259+). Or at Kimpton’s Muse Hotel, there’s a Pride in the City
package, which includes deluxe accommodations, a wine flight on arrival, LGBT
map, and breakfast in bed. There’s the tempting option of an upgrade to a
luxurious balcony suite and four margaritas for just $140 more. Book early for
Pride week, kicking off in the Big Apple on June 20, 2009.
70 Park
Avenue, New York; 877-707-2752; www.70parkave.com
Story by Aefa Mulholland. Photos by Aefa Mulholland (1, 4), P.D. Abbott (3), Kimpton Hotels (2).
1. It’s
the ideal address. There’s
a new hotel decorating my favorites list: Kimpton’s gorgeous 70 Park Avenue.
Despite being only a few steps from the hustle of Grand Central, once you step
through the doors of this elegant address, you’d never know you were deep in
the heart of Manhattan. Situated just off the obvious tourist radar, this
Murray Hill gem is the perfect Midtown hideaway, whether you’re in town for
work or play. My +1 and I opted for play last weekend; easily sashaying out to
shop 5th Avenue, sauntering round the corner to drink coffee in the sun outside
the library in Bryant Park, cab-ing and subway-ing to and from East and West
Village hotspots.
2. The
rooms are perfect. With
all the thrills waiting just outside the hotel, you might expect to spend very
little time in the hotel. This would be a mistake. With 42-inch plasma screen
TVs, free Wifi, L’Occitane amenities in the bathroom, understatedly hip décor
courtesy of celebrity designer Jeffrey Bilhuber, and great lighting in all 205
rooms, 70 Park Avenue is a fine place to spend the night… or the evening… or,
well, really, any part of the day. We found it hard to tear ourselves away from
our top floor suite, with its fabulous Empire State Building views and private
roof terrace, 17 floors above the Manhattan streets. Make sure and ask for a
high floor and a view – joining Kimpton’s InTouch program usually makes such
privileges more likely.
3. The
daily wine hour is a winning touch. Cheerful staff line up a tasty array of reds and whites
nightly in the lobby. We trotted in, tired from a day of shopping, and sunk
into the utterly comfortably sofas, sampled some Shiraz, and chatted with
fellow guests and their canine companions.
4.
It has an enticing tavern. Silverleaf Tavern is so enticing that we wanted
to change plans to spend time there. The Silverleaf is a delightful throwback
to classic old New York taverns and serves Panko Avocado Fries, Buffalo
Lollipop Wings, and signature entrees like Fish and Chips and Steak Frites. Oh,
yes, and killer martinis, too.
5.
The perfect staff. They’re cheerful and helpful, while
not pushy or in any way obtrusive.
6. It’s
a Kimpton! Kimpton
Hotels is the first hotel chain to get a perfect score on the Human Rights
Campaign's Corporate Equality Index four years running, as well as the first to
establish all of its properties -- 41 nationwide -- as members of the
International Gay and Lesbian Trade Association (IGLTA).
7. The
whole package. Kimpton
offers some killer packages in its New York City hotels to celebrate the LGBT
community. May 1 through July 31, you can snap up a Propose on Pride package at
70 Park Avenue, which includes deluxe accommodations, champagne cocktails on
arrival, breakfast in bed, rainbow flag and disposable camera, and a map on the
parade route ($259+). Or at Kimpton’s Muse Hotel, there’s a Pride in the City
package, which includes deluxe accommodations, a wine flight on arrival, LGBT
map, and breakfast in bed. There’s the tempting option of an upgrade to a
luxurious balcony suite and four margaritas for just $140 more. Book early for
Pride week, kicking off in the Big Apple on June 20, 2009.
70 Park
Avenue, New York; 877-707-2752; www.70parkave.com
Story by Aefa Mulholland. Photos by Aefa Mulholland (1, 4), P.D. Abbott (3), Kimpton Hotels (2).
