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.
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.
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.
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!”
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.
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