Where to Stay - New York City 2009 - page 60

nearby gym; concierge; limited room service; laundry service; dry cleaning. In room:
A/C, TV/VCR, dataport, minibar, hair dryer, iron, safe, Wi-Fi.

The Kitano New York Owned by the Kitano Group
of Japan, this elegant Murray Hill gem offers a unique mix of East
and West sensibilities. The marble and mahogany lobby, with its Y-
shaped staircase and Botero bronze Dog, is one of the most attractive
in New York. The hotel was first opened in 1973; in the mid-1990s,
along with acquiring an 1896 landmark town house next door, the
Kitano was fully renovated. If you're a lucky (and wealthy) individ-
ual, you'll get the opportunity to stay in one of three one-bedroom
town house suites, each with sunken living room, bay windows, and
original, eclectic art. The hotel also offers a Tatami suite, with tatami
mats, rice paper screens, and a Japanese Tea Ceremony room. Most
rooms are not quite that luxurious or unique, but all include tasteful
mahogany furniture, soundproof windows, and, for a real taste of
Japan, green tea upon arrival; marble bathrooms are large and have
heated towel racks and removable shower heads. On the mezzanine-
level is a bar, which on Wednesday through Saturday evenings offers
the acclaimed Jazz at the Kitano.
66 Park Ave. (at 38th St.), New York, NY 10016. & 800/548-2666 or 212/885-7000.
Fax [phone]. www.kitano.com. 149 units. $480-$605 double; from $715 suite.
Check website for specials (as low as $239 at press time). AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Park-
ing $40. Subway: 4, 5, 6, 7, S to Grand Central. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar w/live
jazz; access to a nearby health club; concierge; complimentary limo service to Wall
St. on weekdays; limited room service; laundry service; dry cleaning. In room:A/C,
TV, fax, high-speed Internet, dataport, hair dryer, iron, complimentary tea.

Finds

The Library Hotel Just a block from the New York Pub-
lic Library, each of the Library Hotel's 10 guest-room floors is dedi-
cated to 1 of the 10 major categories of the Dewey Decimal System.
When I visited the hotel, I was appropriately booked into a “Geogra-
phy and Travel” room. Overall, the hotel has a pleasing, informal feel.
Guest rooms, which come in three categories—petite (really small),
deluxe, and junior suites—feature mahogany built-ins, generous desks,
and immaculate marble bathrooms; all are extremely comfortable. The
Library's public spaces—a reading room where weekday wine and
cheese and a complimentary daily breakfast are served, a writer's den
with a fireplace and flatscreen television, and a rooftop terrace—all
help make the Library a welcome refuge in the heart of the city.
299 Madison Ave. (at 41st St.), New York, NY 10017. & 877/793-7323 or 212/
983-4500. Fax [phone]. www.libraryhotel.com. 60 units. $345-$435 double;
$525 Love Room or junior suite; $960 2-room family suite. Rates include continen-
tal breakfast buffet, all-day snacks, and weekday wine and cheese. Inquire about
corporate, promotional, and weekend rates (as low as $329 at press time). AE, DC,

Finds