A Sexy Hotel in Midtown Manhattan

The sexy bedroom setting

Sometimes, boutique hotels just don't cut it on a business trip. There was a time in Chicago when the extremely dark hallways at the W hotel Lakeshore was more of a nuisance after a long day of meetings and all I want was to get back to my room and chill. It is also quite common to find the hotel staff more interested in their acting careers than being hospitable to their guests. Such was surprisingly not the case at the Hotel Gansevoort Park Avenue in midtown New

York where I stayed on my last business trip. I would normally stay loyal to a Marriott brand but even the Courtyard by Marriott during Fashion Week was pricey in the range of $500 per night. Ouch. For $360, the Gansevoort was a steal.

The door staff in their simple purple polo shirts were gracious and helpful. On my way out to La Guardia, one of the door staff went in the middle of 5th Avenue to flag a taxi down. I really felt that he wanted to get me to the airport as expeditiously as possible. The front desk staff were professional without being to chatty with the guests. I arrived at the hotel a little early and the front desk agent said that my room was not yet clean and that he would call me when it was ready. About thirty minutes later, he actually called to let me know that I was good to go. Nothing out of the extraordinary but I appreciate the fact that he didn't forget to call me right away.

The lobby was a mis-mash of designer type sofas and chairs which worked well for the space, but it certainly was not inviting as a "third place" in the hotel. It was not designed as a revenue center for cocktails but merely a resting point between your room and the bustling city outside.

My room at the Gansevoort was large, especially by New York standards. Seductive photos hung above the bed unfortunately my wife wasn't around to enjoy the setting with me. The parlor was well equipped with a loaded iTouch playing the hotel's CD. The beige sofa and striped mauve chair were comfortable though not necessarily plush. A tray of office supplies was a nice touch. The mini bar was fully loaded with well appointed items such as mints, Grey Goose 375 ml bottles and a tempting bottle of Patron. The bathroom was likewise spacious with a double trough sink, a deep tub and an enclosed glass shower. Am I really in New York? I do question the hotel's decision not to include even a tiny desk and task chair. It's one thing if the lobby was designed for social work, but it wasn't. 

The hotel was still on its final stages of opening in September. The supposedly fancy fitness center wasn't done yet and the Plunge Lounge atop the building serves as the hotel's makeshift restaurant. 

Overall, the Gansevoort is an anomaly in the world of NYC boutique hotels. But then again, this is midtown Manhattan where some work still needs to occur. Hotel Gansevoort Park Avenue - a definite recommendation on your next trip to the big apple.

Funky meets Classic in the hotel lobby

A long, low profile fireplace set the mood in the lobby

Bright curtains add a POP to the room

Even the night light looks sexy

The bathroom trough sink

Green sofa in the lobby

Purple chandeliers

You can never go wrong with some complimentary post-it notes

The well equipped parlor less a desk

The tempting mini-bar selections

Definitely a nice touch