The Fifth Avenue Hotel, NYC

The Fifth Avenue Hotel building is actually two buildings — the Gilded Mansion and the Carriage House — though they are connected on certain floors. The main building was the last gilded mansion to be constructed in New York City. The taller addition was affixed to the mansion’s carriage house, presenting a physical embodiment of the building’s stature, while complementing and respecting its history.

When you walk into the lobby, which is actually located on 28th St, the first thing you will notice is the interior design. Martin Branzinski, who you may know from staying at The Dorchester or The Beekman, is responsible for this. The hotel’s owner, Alex Ohebshalom, is the curator of the artwork and curios throughout the hotel. Every piece is custom made for the space.

Behind the lobby, you’ll find the dimly lit, sophisticated and sexy, Portrait Bar, which will welcome neighbors as well as cater to guests, some of whom may descend from the conservatory by secret stairway into the lounge. The hotel plans to have a cultural program of author readings, poetry and music here. It’s in the Portrait Bar that you may first notice the tortoises, the spirit animals of this hotel. They are depicted everywhere — a symbol of the hotel’s heaviest influence, the Flâneurs Society. Those Flâneurs believed slow walks and close observation of society leads to enlightenment. Their insignia? The tortoise. This space is designed to slow you down.

Upstairs, the Mansion has 26 rooms, starting in the Junior Suite category. The Tower has 125 rooms ranging from Standard Queen to Suite. All Suites (and above — there is a penthouse with a private terrace garden on the top floor, of course) are provided with Butler Service. Each room is uniquely designed — every room has a distinct book of artwork — but all feature amenities with the Fifth Avenue Hotel’s custom branded scent, and heated floors in the bathrooms. The hotel does not offer connected rooms, but there is the ability to group rooms with a common, private, foyer. It’s remarkable to look out over the city and hear nothing. The windows are triple-paned glass.

For dinner, head to the ground floor — or maybe the floor above, as there are seven semi-private dining balconies overlooking the restaurant’s main seating area. Or, if you’ve got a party of up to 10, reserve the wine vault. There is also a private dining area with a private bar for 20 people. Their soundproof ballroom allows for 100 dancers or 200 people if you’re having a seated reception. (I’m not sure how many will be here for Oscar de la Renta’s runway during fashion week this year, though!)

Oh, dinner! On the ground floor will be Cafe Carmelini, headed by James Beard award-winning chef, Andrew Carmelini. The open kitchen serving Italian cooking with French influences promises to be a contender for a Michelin star (or two!)

Finally, as if that’s not enough, there will be a small spa area providing facials and bodywork. The basement will house a small fitness room. The hotel is also in a partnership with a nearby wellness facility, should you require more.

The Fifth Avenue Hotel is a welcome complement to life in New York City. Every visitor will find it a wonderful spot from which to both escape and observe the city. It’s a fantastic destination for a weekend getaway, with all you need within its four walls, or a phenomenal holiday base, centrally located to easily visit Broadway, high-end shopping and all of the city’s cultural institutions. It’s even the perfect place for a CEO with days packed full with meetings to pause and refocus on the reasons we work so assiduously.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to New York City. In need of further inspiration?