Back in 2021, David and I had our inaugural stay at The Library Hotel in New York City and have called it our home in the city every visit since then. It has become a mainstay for us in our anniversary celebrations. The Library is located one block from the New York Public Library and two blocks from Grand Central Station, making it a perfect spot for getting around Manhattan and to other boroughs using the subway. It is such a unique space with fantastic amenities, a delicious onsite restaurant that serves three meals a day, and a cozy rooftop bar. Here is a look at our weekend getaway at the Library Hotel in New York City!
This article was originally written in 2022 and has since been updated and recirculated for 2024.
Weekend Getaway: The Library Hotel in New York City, a Review
This hotel is truly a hidden gem! The building is in a Neo-Gothic style “sliver building.” It was built in 1912 and is only 25 feet wide by 100 feet long. Each guest room floor honors one of the 10 categories from the Dewey Decimal Classification system. Also, each of the 60 guest rooms features a unique collection of books and art. These explore the topic within the category on the floor. Another charming aspect of this hotel is that it features over 6,000 hardback books for guests to enjoy. It is such a welcoming, cozy yet elegant experience in the heart of Midtown Manhattan and the Librarians make you feel right at home.
The Library Hotel – Accommodations
Each floor has 6 guest rooms in their appointed category. The first trip we took, we stayed in a deluxe room with a king-size bed. That year, we stayed in the Journalism room on the General Knowledge floor. We have also stayed in a junior suite with a king-size bed on the Arts floor. We stayed in the Fashion Design room and I loved learning that Vera Wang was the honorary curator of the room. I request a different room each time we stay just so we can experience the different collections.
Each room comes with 50-100 books aligned to the topic, beautifully appointed furniture, soft and luxurious bed linens, and the coziest robes you could hope for! Rooms come with a mini-fridge (with chilled bottled water!), Gilchrest & Soames bath amenities, a hair dryer, a make-up mirror, and tons of outlets for charging your electronics. The rooms are incredibly spacious, which is hard to find in New York City hotels.
The Library Hotel – Amenities & Location
The Reading Room is on the second floor of the hotel and offers refreshments such as coffee, tea, sparkling waters, and more 24 hours a day. There are also a variety of snacks including fresh fruit and snack bars and cozy seating with lots of reading material. The Reading Room also features views of the New York Public Library from its second-floor window. Each room comes with chilled bottled water, digital access to the New York Times, and high-speed wireless internet.
Check-out is at 1:00PM and the hotel offers convenient luggage storage. I genuinely wish all hotels had a 1:00 PM checkout time. Any time that our room is not ready when we arrive, we take a little break in the Reading Room, store our luggage, and then grab lunch at Madison & Vine.
Now, to talk about the location. The hotel is one block from the New York Public Library and two blocks from the stunning Grand Central Station. The main entrance to the hotel is located on 41st Street, which is known as Library Way. It features 100 bronze plaques with famous literary quotes. The hotel is steps away from lovely Bryant Park and a great location to head down 5th Avenue to shop and to Central Park.
The Library Hotel – Where to Eat & Drink
Madison & Vine
Madison & Vine is located on the ground floor of the hotel and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the week and brunch and dinner on the weekends. Indoor and outdoor dining is available year-round. Their sidewalk seating is quite lovely. We enjoy sitting at the bar to unwind after a day of exploring the city. Their Cobb salad is perhaps one of my top 3 favorites. The addition of chickpeas and Kalamata olives really makes this shine. David is a fan of their Vine Burger, which is award-winning! Madison & Vine features a great wine list, including serving Veuve by the glass.
Bookmarks Garden Lounge & Terrace
Bookmarks is located on the hotel’s rooftop and offers beautiful views of the city, yet offers a quiet reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city. The cocktails are literary inspired and the small plates are items such as cheese plate, truffled popcorn, and mushroom flatbread. This is definitely one of our favorite perks of the hotel. It is such a fabulous spot to relax and enjoy the views of midtown with a delicious cocktail! In the winter months, curl up in front of the fire in the Writer’s Den with a glass of red wine and a good book.
David and I cannot recommend a stay here enough! We have truly enjoyed our stay here and look forward to a return visit to the Library.
Shop the Post
This post was written in partnership with The Library Hotel. Thank you to Justin and the Librarians for being exceptional hosts. As always, all opinions are my own.
very nice
It is such a gem of a spot!