Home ReviewsHotels and Resorts The Kimberly Hotel: A Traditional, Spacious Hotel in the Heart of Manhattan

The Kimberly Hotel: A Traditional, Spacious Hotel in the Heart of Manhattan

by Lisa Mowry
entrance to Kimberly Hotel in New York

A good home base is key to a successful trip to New York City. The wrong hotel  –  too loud, bad location, or so small that you keep tripping over a suitcase – will be an unfortunate lasting memory. With its spacious rooms and upscale décor, The Kimberly Hotel draws repeat visitors for quite a few reasons. On a recent girlfriends’ trip, my friends and I agreed that we’ll be back.

balcony at The Kimberly Hotel
Many of the rooms have balconies overlooking Midtown, a treat that makes you feel like a local. (Photo courtesy of The Kimberly Hotel)

            Reason #1: Location, location. Its Midtown locale on 50th Street between Lexington and Third Avenue is a sweet spot for Manhattan attractions. Step out the door and within a 10-15 minute walk are a plethora of attractions: Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue shopping, The Museum of Modern Art, and Times Square, just for starters. A concierge on-site can help plan any and all activities.

            Reason #2: Room to spread out – in style. Unlike so many cramped hotel spaces in the city, rooms at The Kimberly have a residential feeling to them – which is fitting, since the building was once an apartment residence.

suite at The Kimberly Hotel
Suites are spacious and decorated in jewel tones. A living area, bedroom, bar area/kitchenette, and balcony are part of the suite experience. (Photo courtesy of The Kimberly Hotel)

    You’ll feel like it’s a stay in the guest quarters of a well-heeled aunt, with the room’s traditional charms: comfy sitting areas, antiques-style furniture, tasseled window treatments, and wallpapered rooms.

     Suites have a kitchenette and a balcony (a rarity in all but the priciest hotels), an impressive 500-600 square feet of space in a city where most rooms are tiny. The Kimberly is known for its upscale bed linens – the brand Frette made in Italy – and L’Occitane bath amenities, little touches that go a long way. Room rates start at $359, making the cost per square footage a pretty good deal.

The penthouse level of The Kimberly is home to Upstairs, a glass-enclosed restaurant and bar with a retractable roof. By day it can serve up breakfast and brunch, and at night becomes a popular place for cocktails. (Photo courtesy of The Kimberly Hotel)
The penthouse level of The Kimberly is home to Upstairs, a glass-enclosed restaurant and bar with a retractable roof. By day it can serve up breakfast and brunch, and at night becomes a popular place for cocktails. (Photo courtesy of The Kimberly Hotel)

            Reason #3: The staff. You can’t help but notice how friendly everybody is, from the ever-smiling doorman, front desk attendant, and the folks in restaurants. After a day on the streets exploring New York, the charming staff will say, “Welcome back!”

avocado toast at Kimberly Hotel
Avocado toast at Upstairs starts the day off right. (Photo by Lisa Mowry)

            Reason #4: Breakfast and cocktails with a view. We all love the million-dollar views of New York City, with glittering skyscrapers and historic buildings one on top of another … here you can see The Chrysler Building and other iconic structures from the penthouse restaurant, Upstairs at The Kimberly.

lounge area upstairs kimberly hotel
Ivy-covered walls and chic outdoor furniture are part of the experience at the al fresco rooftop bar just outside the doors of Upstairs restaurant. (Photo courtesy of The Kimberly Hotel)

The floor-to-ceiling windows provide guests (and anyone else who craves a view with a meal, for that matter) with a sunny setting, complemented with custom omelets and Belgian waffles.

Open a door and you’re on an outdoor rooftop bar with the buildings of Midtown all around. Being in the midst of New York’s skyline is just one of the hotel’s charms, but it’s an important one.

–Lisa Mowry

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