Fodor's Expert Review Bryant Park Hotel
40 W. 40th St., between 5th and 6th Aves., New York, New York, 10018, USA, New York City, New York, USA See on Map
This sleek hotel is a New York landmark that towers over the New York Public Library and Bryant Park. In addition to the residential style rooms, guests always come back for the excellent happy hour and the superb Japanese food at Koi. While the neighborhood can be quiet by night, the location (equidistant from 5th Avenue and Times Square!) is convenient for exploring midtown Manhattan.
room
By New York standards, bigger-than-typical rooms (averaging 300-square-feet) have padded leather headboards with decorative bolster pillows. Large windows let in ample sunlight to the residential-style spaces, with hardwood floors and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs.
The property has 9 terrace rooms with furnished terraces overlooking leafy Bryant Park.
bathroom
Marble bathrooms have a rainfall showerhead, Molton Brown bath products, magnified mirrors, and bathrobes. Some bathrooms have a deep soaking tub.
lobby
The lobby has a black and red color scheme, with a red front desk and black floors. Red couches provide limited seating. The ground floor space has pretty floor-to-ceiling windows facing the street.
dining
Both the Koi restaurant and the subterranean Cellar Bar are popular with the after-work crowd, but later in the evening the atmosphere is a bit quiet. Koi serves Japanese food with a California accent, including miso black cod and shrimp tempura sushi rolls. Koi also serves breakfast, including traditional dishes like buttermilk pancakes and eggs with bacon.
drinking
The Cellar Bar is a sleek subterranean space with vaulted ceilings. Traditional and signature cocktails plus beer, wine, and tapas are served.
YOU SHOULD KNOW The Cellar Bar is frequently booked for events. Plan in advance, people!
LOCATION
Getting Around
Located on West 40th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue, this hotel faces the southern flank of pretty Bryant Park (it is a lovely place to picnic in the summer or go ice skating in the winter). Midtown Manhattan’s landmarks are all within an easy walk, including shopping on 5th Avenue and Times Square. Subway access is excellent, with the B, D, F, M, and 7 trains at 42nd Street/Bryant Park and the 1, 2, and 3 trains at 42nd Street/Times Square. Taxis and Uber are widely available, but traffic congestion can be a problem.
Restaurants
Perfect picnic supplies are stocked at Maison Kayser (1-minute walk), a French bakery with sandwiches on fresh bread. Keens Steakhouse (6-minute walk), dating back to 1885, is a New York institution for wedge salads and dry-aged steaks. Breakfast and brunch are a leisurely affair at Sarabeth’s (3-minute walk); try the lemon and ricotta pancakes.
WHY WE LIKE IT
The location across the street from Bryant Park is noteworthy—peaceful picnics are just as easy to plan as visits to midtown Manhattan landmarks. We love the terrace rooms with Bryant Park views and the sleek on-site Japanese restaurant.
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