Hotel Review: Empire Hotel, New York

 

The Empire is among the oldest hotels in Manhattan, but a renovation last year has transformed it into a modern refuge, with a sleek rooftop lounge, pool deck and sumptuous lobby bar. Despite its giant 1920s neon sign, it now resembles the sort of hotel you’d expect to see in the meatpacking district, not around Lincoln Center. That perception will likely be underscored a year from now, when New York Fashion Week moves from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center, mere steps from the Empire, and the pretty young things from the catwalks go on the prowl for an after-party.
LOCATION
The 420-room hotel, on West 63rd Street at Broadway, is perfect for visitors who want to be within walking distance of essential tourist spots yet avoid the Midtown crowds. The Empire is a block from Central Park, about a 20-minute stroll from the theater district or the American Museum of Natural History and the New-York Historical Society.
THE ROOM
Standard rooms — which start at around $279 a night (though mine was $195.28 with a last-minute deal on Expedia.com) — have free Wi-Fi and iPod docking stations. Yet my room, while stylish, lacked some basic items, like a desk lamp and a bath mat. And there were already signs of wear. The drawers of a wobbly dresser periodically opened by themselves, as if the room had a poltergeist. In short, the hotel’s glamorous public spaces, not the private ones, are the draw.
THE BATHROOM
Size aside (small, like the bedroom), the bathroom could have been better designed. Without a hook for a robe or counter space to rest a hair dryer, everything ended up falling onto the floor, into the sink, or worse. The good news is that in the shower — under the rain shower head and with soft teak wood underfoot — you can almost forget that your aspirin bottle is in the toilet.
THE AMENITIES
On the 12th floor is the swanky bar and lounge, with a fireplace and a retractable roof that enables the party to go on no matter what the weather. The views of the city are inspiring. On a recent Thursday night, a D.J. played ’80s and ’90s hits, including campy songs like Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical.” Revelers were mostly corporate types in their 20s and 30s. What’s nice is that despite the velvet ropes, the bar lacks the pretension of other equally beautiful lounges (for now at least). People sipped fruity drinks (some potent; others buzzless) in fashions as varied as T-shirts and little black dresses.
There is also a bar in the hotel lobby, with soft couches and even softer lighting for late-night tête-à-têtes. On the 13th floor is a guests-only sun deck with a plunge pool and lounge chairs. And on Sept. 17, Ed Brown of Eighty One restaurant will open Ed’s Chowder House. Other amenities include a spa, a gym (with free weights and a few machines), and a pet concierge offering 400-thread-count beds for cats and dogs.
ROOM SERVICE
There is plenty on the menu, but with the hotel only steps from many restaurants and next door to a Starbucks, there is little need for eggs that cost $15 plus a $5 delivery charge and 18 percent gratuity.
THE BOTTOM LINE
While the Empire’s rooms could use some polishing, especially at $300 or so a night, the bars make it a serious contender for an entirely different kind of Fashion Week blowout.