Yotel

Yotel Review

Look beyond the gimmicks (a luggage-storing robot, the futuristic white design scheme) of this Midtown West hotel and you'll discover one of New York's best-run, most functional lodgings, though note that it's pretty far west. The self-check-in lobby works like a dream, and at the fourth-floor base-station level, elevators take you to rooms that at first glance seem too small but are in fact surprisingly comfortable and functional. It doesn't seem possible, but in a relatively small space there is room for an unobstructed full-length mirror, a giant flat-screen TV, plenty of outlets, a reclining bed that morphs from lounger with the touch of a button, lots of nooks and crannies for storing loose items, and a smartly designed bathroom that serves as a good place to stash luggage when not in use for showering and primping. Larger "cabins" and suites have outdoor terraces and hot tubs. To keep costs down, there's no room service; instead a galley kitchen on each floor has free coffee, tea, water, and ice. The huge Terrace outdoor space is a great place to read or sip coffee. In summer the space becomes a hopping club, with guest-celeb DJs. Food and drink at Yotel are provided by Latin restaurant impresario Richard Sandoval. Every morning brings complimentaty coffee and pastries in the lively communal Club Lounge area, surrounded by rooms that double as meeting spaces during the day-and private party lairs come dark.