Built in the 1960s as a residential apartment building, Lyden Gardens is now an all-suites hotel with a relaxed feel.
The hotels quiet lobby and apartment-like rooms have retained their neighborhood ambience.
Short- and extended-stay guests include business and leisure travelers, as well as...
Built in the 1960s as a residential apartment building, Lyden Gardens is now an all-suites hotel with a relaxed feel.
The hotels quiet lobby and apartment-like rooms have retained their neighborhood ambience.
Short- and extended-stay guests include business and leisure travelers, as well as medical professionals visiting nearby hospitals.
Lyden Gardens is located on the upscale Upper East Side, close to Central Park, museums, and shopping on Madison and Fifth Avenues.
The hotel provides 24-hour room service and menus for several nearby restaurants that deliver.
The hotel offers a fitness room with free weights and exercise equipment, a coin-operated laundry room, and complimentary coffee and tea in the lobby.
Copying, faxing, and concierge services are available at the front desk.
Insider tip- A four minute ride on the Roosevelt Island Tramway (fee), with a stop located 5 blocks from the hotel, offers gorgeous aerial views of the city.
the people employed here are so kind...very attentive to our incredibly delayed arrival. (2 AM) Our room was very quiet - peaceful.
I'm surprised by the other excellent reviews. This hotel was not what it appeared to be on the web site. It's much smaller than it appears. The lobby is tiny, and the "tea room" is just a small room off the lobby with some tea in it. And there is nothing tranquil about this hotel. It's true the location is good. It's good for shopping and museums. And the people at the hotel were friendly and nice, so that was good. Everything else was not good. I had a "junior suite," which I guess in New York means a small hotel room. There was nothing "suite" like about it. So I paid for a suite and got a basic, small hotel room. It was smaller than a regular hotel room at any hotel. I even talked to the front desk about it and complained and they assured me it was a junior suite. The room was NOT worth the money and not a value at all. Do NOT get the junior suite! The bathroom was super small and the carpeting in the room was gross and dingy. The pillow menu sounds great but they never got me my pillows. When I called about it, they asked me to re-order, which I did and they still got it wrong. I called again, and they still got it wrong. It seems like they don't want to give out more than one pillow. (Each time I requested two different pillows, and they would always give me one.) I finally gave up on the pillow situation. They also have something that seems like a nice service but didn't work when I was there. You can pre-order amenities for your room before you arrive. I did and I received none of them. So I talked to the front desk and they attempted to get the amenities to me but messed up the order. After the whole pillow thing, I didn't want to go rounds on this so I gave up after two trys. Yes, maybe I should've pushed but I was there to have a nice, relaxing weekend in NYC not spend time dealing with my hotel. Throughout all of this, I will say, the staff was super nice. It was hard to get mad and each time I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt. The last straw was when they got me a car to go to LaGuardia through their car service. I was quoted $55 (which is still too much money but I thought I'd pamper myself), and then when I got to the airport, I was charged $75. I went back and forth with the driver on this and finally just paid it and told him I would call the hotel. What was nice is that they did call me right away and apologized and credited me the $20 difference. So I do appreciate that they fixed the error right away. Overall, if you are looking for location and friendliness, then this is an okay place to stay. Those are the only benefits. Probably compared to other area hotels, the rates are decent but don't get snookered into a junior suite and pay a higher price. Just get a regular room. Don't expect pampering and frills at all here. Don't expect serenity and quiet either. (There was construction on the street and noise all night. I also had a crying baby in a room next to me.) There is no restaurant in the hotel though they do have room service. (They order through area restaurants.) I personally wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone nor would I go back there. This hotel is not at all like it is advertised. But if all you want is a good location, a decent place to sleep, and don't care about basic amenities, then it's an okay place.
We switched to this hotel for an extended family vacation with older kids. The rooms are spacious and the property is modern and very well cared-for. Service was outstanding. Combine it with a good location and fair value. We know several frequent travelers to New York and are going to make a point of recommending the Affinia Gardens to them. Be sure not to miss this choice in midtown.
We stayed here for 3 nights after moving from a cheaper hotel. I was under the impression everything in NY was small and slightly ratty unless you were willing to pay the big bucks. At a mid-range price ($400ish), this was one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed at, and larger than most NY apartments! We had a 500 sq. ft. suite that was tastefully decorated. They pride themselves on "serenity" -- so tea served in the lobby, and a "pillow menu". Staff was very nice and great service. Good location, about 3 blocks off Central Park in an area that wasn't too noisy. Would stay there again!
This hotel is well situated for supermarkets and restaurants and is less than 10 minutes walk to 59th Street subway, Central Park and Bloomingdales. The concierges are very helpful although multi task as bell boy and porter so can be extremely busy. Check in was not good - e-mailed ahead our room preferences and arrival time but on check-in found that our confirmed room (booked 6 weeks ago) was now not available - apparently, first in first served and as many of their guests are patients recovering from procedures from the 3 nearby hospitals - they seem to get priority. Room 408 was a junior suite - spacious and well furnished with a small, basic kitchenette and a small bathroom. The ambience was good and the bed was comfortable. Daily housekeeping was excellent. The view of the street was of the hospital opposite, as well as a 100 garbage bags stacked up on the footpath, waiting for collection. The hotel theme is "Tranquility" and this it is not! It is bright and well decorated but on arrival the small foyer and "Serenity Lounge" was crowded with a noisy Italian group waiting to depart. There was not enough room for everyone to sit - some sat on the floor and others on cushions. Many families use this hotel and their kids have heaps of energy. In summary, I'd use this hotel again if I could be guaranteed a high room at the back.
Stayed three nights 25 - 29th Loved our stay in this hotel. lt was the best. My husband and three boys would love to return soon.
Large, clean, comfortable suite, located in a quiet, upmarket area of New York City. No noticeable noise from outside. Our room had a lovely wall of windows overlooking the ground floor patios. Although outside it was bitterly cold, the large heater was quick to warm our suite. I was disappointed not to have the time to try out the relaxation packs that were available for guests to use, but thought it a great idea. This hotel is handy for the Metro and also within walking distance of Central Park, Bloomingdales and the Apple store. My husband and I recommend this hotel.
We stayed at The Affinia Gardens Hotel over Easter. We are a family of five, and were travelling with our three teenage daughters from the UK. We all thought that the hotel was very good, and we all really enjoyed our time there, and sooo didn't want to leave!! The room was very spacious and very comfortable. It was fantastic to have so much space and also a full kitchen, as there were shops nearby to buy food if you wanted to. (Athough we only ever made breakfast). We found all of the staff at the hotel were very friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable. The girls on the front desk were very approachable and were always very friendly, and never made us feel a nuisance. We loved the area surrounding the hotel, and found plenty of restaurants nearby to eat out. We also loved being able to walk down to Bloomingdales and also over to Central Park. The only slight negatives we could think of were: That the bathroom was quite small considering there were five of us...But that was no problem for us really. The only other small one was that that the corridors all looked like they needed a lick of paint...(In more neutral colours maybe!!) But again.. Not that much of a big deal. But first impressions count and all that!!. To sum up Would we stay there again?? Yes we'd all love too Would we recommend to our friends and family?? Yes, without a doubt. We had the best time in New York and would really rate this hotel. We consider ourselves to be quite particular /fussy about where we stay, and we all really liked this place. so sure others will too. The Campbell Family UK
Loved our stay at the Affinia Gardens Hotel NYC! We arrived on Thursday March 20, 2008 - Chris and Sal (sp?) the doormen made us feel right at home. Sal went above and beyond, he even located great pizza for us on Saturday night. The girls at the front desk (sorry didn't get all of their names) were very friendly and super professional. Always greeted us and asked how our day was - never made us feel like we were bothering them when we asked for directions to the subway station or Central Park or you name it! We loved our room - pretty good size for the 5 of us. Really could not ask for a better layout with teen boys and a 9 year old daughter. Each one had a little area for some downtime! Oh and the pillows....awesome! Loved the Aveda products too! The location was great - amazing burger place across the street. Great pizza down the street. Shopping just blocks away. Easy access to the subway stations. Starbucks around the corner (of course!) Breakfast diners, groceries...everything you need! We plan to return to Affinia Gardens in the fall - can't wait! Thank you for an awesome stay. Sincerely, Your family from Texas :)
4 of us (2 daughters 18 & 23, 1 son 19, and mom 40 something) spent 2 nights at the Affinia Gardens. We booked a Deluxe 1 bedroom suite which we found to be perfect for us. The separate bedroom had 2 very comfortable Queens and the LR had a comfortable sofa sleeper. The room was - well, amazingly large by NYC standards- with a full kitchen to boot! We all loved the minimialistic Asian-Modern style decor and cool lighting as well as the pillow menu which included wedge pillows and- get this- magnetic pillows. The bathroom was on the small side, but how much time do you spend in a bathroom? It was bright, clean, and well appointed. We paid $424.00 a night, which might seem high, but we would have needed 2 rooms at a non-suite hotel which would run $250 per room, so I felt like we got a fairly good deal. The hotel staff were excellent. They responded quickly to requests and were always friendly and professional. They remembered our names and greeted us each time we entered or left the hotel. There were several places to eat nearby, within 2 blocks, which are reasonably priced. There is also a grocery store and wine store within 2 blocks. The subway is within very easy walking distance as well. The hotel is ideally located for a museum-based visit as it is close to MoMa, the Met, the Museum of Natural History, and the Whitney. We also had easy access to Times Square and the Theater District (via subway, ground transport is SLOW). I highly recommend this hotel for families- get the larger suites- or for couples as the ambiance is sophisticated,
My daughter and I were in New York for her opera school auditions. I called the hotel the day before as a courtesy, to tell them that we would be arriving the following morning. Imagine my shock on arrival to be told that our room was not available, and would not be available for two more days! The only room they could offer us had only one bed and a pull-out couch. They gave us a small reduction on the room rate for the two nights and free internet (which worked sporadically). The odd part was, that according to their website, they had our room type available. I think they habitually overbook. Finally, we schlepped our bags, food from the fridge, groceries, etc, to our new room. There were problems with both rooms, and we had workmen in our room often: the sink and tub didn't drain, the light switch in the dining room was broken, the taps didn't turn off properly, there were deep holes in the carpet. The whole experience was unsettling and made it difficult to focus on the reason we were there in the first place--to prepare for my daughter's auditions. I had always thought that a hotel confirmation meant that the room would be available. I guess not.
My husband and I, along with our 11 year old son, stayed at the Affinia Gardens for 5 nights during the February school holidays. The room was very clean, extremely spacious and the king size bed was very comfortable. The housekeeping was of a very high standard and the chamber maid even washed up dirty glasses etc. we had left one day. The room layout could perhaps make better use of the space; when the sofa bed was in use there was a very small gap between it and the wall, which we had to squeeze through in order to reach the bathroom . The first night my husband (who is a slimly built man) did this in the dark and hit his shoulder off the central heating control, breaking it. The hotel promptly repaired it the following day with no fuss, but we were wary of it for the remainder of our stay! Our room was to the front of the hotel, which was my only disappointment. I had emailed Affinia central reservations prior to our trip, requesting a room overlooking the gardens, but when I mentioned this at reception they showed no interest in this or made any suggestions as to how our request could be accommodated for even part of our 5 night stay, so we made do with keeping the blinds lowered rather than look into the hospital directly opposite. As another guest has mentioned, there was also some noise from the garbage trucks, which operated early in the morning, but we would probably be stirring at that hour anyway as our body clocks were still out of sync with NY time. The doormen were exemplary; very helpful and chatty. The weather during our stay ranged from snowstorm to a monsoon on our day of departure, but our room was a warm haven. We were allowed to check out slightly later on our day of departure free of charge, which was excellent and meant we could dry out after last minute shopping trips. The night before departure we received a personal phone call from the Manager, who checked we had enjoyed our stay; a very nice touch. The hotel also booked us a car for our return to the airport. The price the driver - who didn't speak very much English - asked us for turned out to be $10 more than the price quoted by the hotel, but we didn't quibble. We'd happily return to this hotel and hope to do so before too long!
We just stayed at the Affinia Gardens in Manhattan for a long weekend vacation. We booked a double queen suite and were very pleasantly surprised to find when we arrived that this was a penthouse suite. The suite was large and very comfortable. The beds and linens were very nice and there was plenty of space for our group of four. We were also very pleasantly surprised in that the room couch was also a pull-out queen; so everyone was pretty much able to sleep in comfort. The staff were outstanding at all levels. From the moment we arrived until check-out were very friendly and professional. They handled minor requests (extra towels, etc) very quickly and the desk followed up to make sure we were happy. As we were staying for several days we decided to make use of the full kitchen in the suite and were able to purchase food at a supermarket less than a block away. While not in the heart of downtown, other points of interest are not far. We walked to Central Park several times and also to Times Square--for points farther out, I would suggest the subway. There are several stations within about a four block radius of the hotel. Views from the 13th floor balcony were nice, though most of the more impressive skyline is still blocked at that elevation. The area the hotel is in wasn't too busy as far as street and pedestrian traffic and while we probably wouldn't have heard much from the top floor, we never noticed too much noise at any time around the hotel. For our whole stay, I only had three pet peeves: First, the lack of internet access. It is true that there is a workstation in the lobby and that wireless internet is available. However, neither are provided gratis. I would have expected a hotel with rooms and rates at this level to have included that as part of the amenities. Second, while the lobby is too small to have any room for any sort of meaningful breakfast, it would have been nice for at least a bagel or muffin to have been available in the mornings. Last, and this is a very minor peeve, for a hotel this nice I was very surprised that as of the date of our stay (March 2008) the room TV's had not been upgraded to a HDTV. Overall, I would highly recommend the Affinia Gardens to just about anyone traveling to NYC. Groups, Couples, Families. The neighborhood is quiet and friendly, the rooms are of a good size and very comfortable and accessing other points of interest is fairly easy.
We stayed for 5 nights 2nd week in February 2008. Everything about the hotel met or exceeded our expectations. This management delivers what it claims to deliver, the rooms are in excellent condition, spotlessly clean, the kitchen is fully equiped, the beds superb. We cannot understand the negative reviews such as 'midgler' and 'Trippy44'. We thought it was a great part of town to stay but we were happy to walk 4 blocks to the 59st subway. We were really pleased to find the 'Food Emporium' at the end of the block for breakfast groceries (there is an even better one on Lexington but it is a bit of a walk). If you are there on Tuesdays early evening you can chat to the management over wine and cheese. We had a good meal at Jo Jos but felt a bit underdressed! For us this hotel was good value, but of course it all depends what rate you get!
I took my mother for a week in New York, having been to New York many times, I had always stayed in hotels, either 3 star on school trips or 4/5 star when with my partner, I am pleased to say the Affinia Gardens has been the best so far. The room was huge, 2 large queen beds, lots of space, clean and well designed, the kitchen was an excellent addition and the bathroom was well appointed. The hotel provided excellent herbal teas in the lobby, all staff were very helpful and polite. I would definately go back.
We were holidaying in Canada and had arranged to meet our eldest daughter (at university in the UK) for a long weekend in NY. She arrived first and had to find her own way to the room where, being jetlagged, she went straight to sleep. When we arrived several hours later, we couldn't help wondering why the room contained a batch of incontinence pads, some pill containers and a pink plastic kidney-shaped dish, all of which suggested the presence of an elderly guest who was either still in residence or had recently undergone a ‘celestial' checkout. (Subsequent forensic examination further revealed a pile of old newspapers, a half empty bottle of contact lens solution and a used bar of soap.) The management's initial response to these discoveries was surprisingly defensive, and seemed to be based on the assertion that, because our daughter had not challenged the presence of these items immediately on her arrival, she had forfeited our right to do so subsequently. Eventually the chambermaid, who had been sent to make up the sofa bed, expressed such horror at the state of the room that the management realised we were not troublemakers and upgraded us to a penthouse suite by way of compensation. As we prefer a cold room and extra bedclothes, we turned down the (rather noisy) air conditioning. On the first night, I phoned reception at 10.45 to ask for an additional blanket. At 10.55, I phoned again. At 11.05, I enquired whether it would be easier for the staff if I came to collect the blanket myself, and was assured that it was “on its wayâ€. At 11.15, this bare-faced lie was exposed when I went down to reception in pyjamas and bare feet and waited until one of the reception staff went to fetch the blanket – a long wait, as both of them studiously ignored me for a full five minutes while pretending to concentrate on their laptops. This time, the morning's compensation came in the form of a written apology and a complimentary bottle of red wine. Towering over this debacle was the figure of Pedro, the house manager, who appears to work shifts in excess of 24 hours, during which he tries his hardest to provide a decent service despite the surly and incompetent reception staff at his disposal. But even Pedro's efforts will not prevent the terminal decline of this hotel, unless its owners get a grip. This is a pity, as the hotel does have a few things going for it. Despite being in a boring part of town, it is quiet and accessible. The rooms are pleasant, and the doormen are helpful. The hotel has a rather sickening and synthetic corporate ethos of ‘serenity' – the main manifestations of which are a cod-Buddhist lounge with a pile of cushions and a dirty washbasin, and a series of nauseating ‘tranquility tips' placed in one's room each morning. Rather appropriately, the one for the day of our departure stated “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is a nobler art of leaving things undoneâ€. This hotel is perhaps favouring the latter at the expense of the former.
We were thrilled with our three-day stay at the Affinia Gardens. The spaciousness and upkeep of the suite, the friendliness and efficiency of the staff, and the excellent location were all first-rate. This is now our hotel of first choice in New York City!
Just returned from a fabulous 5 day half term break to New York this was a first time visit to America. We were recommended the Affinia Gardens hotel by a friend. What a find! Arrived at Newark airport with a one hour delay we had booked a car from Lincoln limousines, which was quoted by email and then booked over the phone from UK I was a bit apprehensive about this but the driver was waiting in the arrivals lounge for my family of five even after the delay. On arrival at the hotel the consigage took our bags and the reception were very warm and friendly. The room was on the eleventh floor with a patio at the side a large open plan lounge and dining room, separate bedroom with two queen size beds and a kitchenette and bathroom. The room was always warm and inviting just as well as during our stay New York was only 21 deg F and lower. Breakfast was available from the Tranquility lounge if required but we took advantage of the local eating houses that served great breakfasts. Herbal teas from the lounge area were also available all day after our long walks up and down the great New York grid system of blocks which was so easy to get round. On Tuesday night a wine and cheese evening was a great way of meeting other guests and meet the warm and friendly Brian (manager) On our departure day it was heavy rain the reception gave us a late booking out time of 3pm, normally 12pm as we were not being collected until 5.30pm this was great allowing us change soaking wet gear before going home.
Just back from a trip to NY in which we experienced at least three seasons' weather in four days (-16 windchill, blizzards then monsoon rain) all of which could have been a real dampener except for the fantastically warm reception at the Affinia Gardens. The receptionist and concierge deserve special mention for their patience and cheerfulness and the fact that nothing seems too much trouble, from recommending a great place for brunch to getting a car to come earlier when we changed our minds. My teenage daughters and I loved the location, even trudging back in the snow when the yellow cab drivers all went home! The rooms are large and the beds so comfortable, we nearly didn't want to get up in the morning. The kitchenette was a bonus, especially the night we arrived late and just wanted something from the excellent local deli, the Food Emporium. We loved Eat Here Now for a typical US breakfast and had a lovely meal at JoJo's. We agree with every review here, this is a great hotel for the money and we can't wait to go back — but maybe not in February.
Just back from a trip to NY in which we experienced at least three seasons' weather in four days (-16 windchill, blizzards then monsoon rain) all of which could have been a real dampener except for the fantastically warm reception at the Affinia Gardens. The receptionist and concierge deserve special mention for their patience and cheerfulness and the fact that nothing seems too much trouble, from recommending a great place for brunch to getting a car to come earlier when we changed our minds. My teenage daughters and I loved the location, even trudging back in the snow when the yellow cab drivers all went home! The rooms are large and the beds so comfortable, we nearly didn't want to get up in the morning. The kitchenette was a bonus, especially the night we arrived late and just wanted something from the excellent local deli, the Food Emporium. We loved Eat Here Now for a typical US breakfast and had a lovely meal at JoJo's. We agree with every review here, this is a great hotel for the money and we can't wait to go back — but maybe not in February.
My friend and I have stayed at this hotel twice and will be returning soon for a third time. The hotel is quiet, convenient to the Metropolitan Museum and other Upper East Side cultural venues. We find it ideal for our interests. The staff have been most helpful. Having kitchen facilities is a definite plus.
i love it..i stayed at the affinia Gardens from 9 to 5 for a intership they have taught me so many thing to help me in the future the way they spoke to there customers was the most respectful way. As i analyzed each postion of the hotel empolyees they all said "hello" and "good morning" which i noticed put smiles on there customers. Everyone in the Affinia gardens are like a big family. I learn that each postion helps the hotel not one but all are equal. I would like to give a special thanks to The General Manager Brian Gehlich, The Director of front desk Sam Bajtel ,Front Desk Manager Glenda Gomez, The Executive house keeper Joann Disanza, and Emily Workman. These people have taught me that customers come first. Also when theres alot on hands still have that cheerful smile. The affinia gardens not only had great people they had the best rooms. The rooms are very relaxing and more comfort then anything they have tea time! what can be anymore relaxing. I thank you for all for your help and time i hope to see you guys again Thank you, Jessica Ramirez
We stayed in the apartments during the 1st week in December. The room was excellent, bed great, spotlessly clean and it was a bonus having a kitchen. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We bought some groceries at the Food Emporium at the end of the Street and ate in the room in the morning. It was great being able to relax and take things easy before setting out on the days ventures. Likewise, after trailing around New York all day, it was great to relax in the spacious room which had a huge sofa, coffee table, desk, dressing table and enormous bed, not to mention the excellent, spotless shower and bathroom. We were within walking distance of major attractions and bought a $24 bus and metro card which we used to travel further afield. The metro was a few blocks away, as was Bloomingdales. There were numerous restaurants and cafes nearby and plenty shops for those who love shopping. I would use this place again and would most certainly recommend it. Probably one of the best I have been in! Full marks! PS. these pictures do not do it justice as the shades were down which makes the room look dull.
My office is in NYC, and I travel there several times a year. I have stayed at many hotels, trying to find one that I like that's comfortable, in a safe neighborhood, and stay within my company budget. This hotel fit all my requirements, and I greatly enjoyed my stay in December. The beds and pillows are very comfortable, as is the sofa, and the bathrooms are quite large, with good amenities. The best part of the room is the small but fully stocked kitchen - after a visit to the neighborhood market at arrival, you can make breakfast in the morning, and fix a light dinner after work, all without having to deal with limited room service menus, and long waits. The location is very good - several excellent restaurants within a 2 block walk, very good shopping nearby, and cabs are easy to find. The staff are all friendly and helpful. I do not hesitate to recommend the Affinia Gardens to anyone tired of impersonal chain hotel rooms with surly staff!
We recently stayed here for several nights. We needed a nice place, even if it meant spending a bit more (300+ per day) than lesser reviewed places. Well, Afinia Gardens was a very bad choice. It is the equivalent of a cheap motel with filthy commercial carpeting, cheap furnishings, hard beds, rancid odor, icy drafts from the windows, and no heat in our room. After freezing through the first night, we wanted to leave -- the rude staff would not let us (without paying) so we had no choice but to stay. They upgraded us to a somewhat nicer room -- that is, it had heat -- but still, I felt disgusting the whole time I was in the place. How anyone can call it an oasis is inconceivable to me. How anyone can leave here with anything but disdain is inconceivable to me. It's a converted apartment building -- so it's spacious -- but the space is not efficiently used and does little or nothing to comfort you when you're freezing cold, and unable to sleep because or the putrid smell, and uncomfortable bed. I would never, ever stay here again. I would never, ever recommend it to a friend.
We spent 3 nights at this hotel and were very happy with the choice. Our reservations were booked online and there was a little glitch in that I choose the Affinia Gardens hotel and the reservation was at their other NYC hotel. This was changed without much delay, thankfully. The rooms were spacious and clean. There was a small kitchen with a large refridgerator. I only had one complaint and that was hair in the bathtub drain. I noticed the tub was not draining properly and examined the drain. I removed the previous occupants hair and the tub worked fine from then on. I have worked as a maid in the past. We were taught, "Get all the hair out of the bathroom!" I think this maid needed a refresher course. Do not let this minor detail bother you. This is a great hotel with a great mid-town location. It is only about 2 blocks from the subway. We never had to use cabs. We bought the week-long subway card for $24 and went everywhere!
My family and I spent a couple of nights at Affinia Gardens just after the new year. We were looking for accomodations which would suit our young family (2.5 year old and 4 month old). The suite was just perfect. The fold-out couch was good for the older and the younger stayed in the bedroom with us in a travel cot. Having a kitchen was great for a first early breakfast and there was plenty of room for everyone to have their own space. (there is a CVS at the end of the street which sells all the basics you need for a quick in-room breakfast and the hotel provides coffee and dishwashing soap. The rooms were big by NYC standards. Having lived in this area of NYC in the past I was happy to return to this location which is close to good shopping, Central Park, the subway, etc. but out of the hustle bustle of the Times Sq hotel zone. I was also attracted to the hotel because of its in-room spa services, but unfortunately didn't get the chance to use them! The only problem was street noise. Our room was on the front of the building on the 2nd floor and the garbage trucks were loud. We were so tired at the end of the day it didn't really bother us, but naptimes were quite loud and didn't make for easy sleeping. (Ask for a room on the back!) The location is great though and for NYC the price wasn't too bad. We would definitely stay there again.
Tucked away in the quiet residential area of the Upper East Side is NYC's best kept hotel secret - Affinia Gardens. For less than the cost of a hotel room you can stay in a large studio or one bedroom apartment with plenty of room to spread out and be comfortable. Each unit is equipped with a full kitchen, complete with granite countertops, and there are two grocery stores a half block away. The bathrooms are clean and comfortable and the hotel provides Aveda products. The beds are comfortable and there are a variety of pillows from which to choose - down, memory foam, buckwheat etc... In the lobby fresh coffee and tea is served daily. (The Affinia custom blended tea is to die for!) The staff is friendly, helpful and efficient. In fact, I can't think of a single negative about this place.
We stay at Affinia Gardens for 3 weeks. Outstanding staff and very comfortable rooms. Just 2 remarks; 1. Windows noise isolation is very bad so you ear any little noise on the street specially trucks at night. 2. Bathroom is to little for a 1BD suite.
Just returned from our first trip to New York, stayed at the Affinia Gardens after reading all the great reviews on Trip Advisor, and they weren't wrong. It's not really plush, but the rooms are great - fully equiped kitchen, two really comfortable double beds, lovely bathroom with aveda products. In a really good area, not far from Bloomingdales with some fab places to eat nearby. The staff were fantastic, so helpful and just made our stay so wonderful. Can't recommend this hotel enough.
I stayed at the Affinia with 3 friends for a girlfriends getaway weekend this fall and would choose this hotel again. I can really only complain about the first five minutes of our stay, when the clerk announced that the our 1 BR suite was not available and had been changed to adjacent, not adjoining studios. I never did get a satisfactory explanation for this rather arbitrary change, and no apology, but we did end up paying the same rate for more space and two bathrooms, so in the end it worked out allright. The rooms were clean, quiet and well supplied. The smallish bathroom was luxurious, and ours had a separate makeup area. Kitchen was well supplied and we could have cooked a full dinner there, although there is no dining table to eat at! It was fine for breakfast. As with the other Affinia I have stayed at (the Dumont) their big asset is their staff. Aside from the bewildered clerk we met the first night, the staff was knowledgeable, friendly, and really went out of their way to make sure that our stay was seriously fun. Krys, the concierge was incredibly helpful, having alternate restaurant suggestions and getting our reservations when the places we wanted to go were booked up. He spent about 10 minutes finding us a cab as NY was grazed by a hurricane, sparing our going out clothes from getting soaked. I must say that in general, I found service in New York to be top notch and friendly.
My family of 3 (includes our 12 year old daughter) arrived here via taxi from JFK - about 40 mins ride in the evening - for our 8 night stay in NYC We chose the hotel for its location on the upper east side, a little bit away from the extreme hustle and bustle of midtown. The neighbourhood is more residential with nearby supermarkets and everyday shops as well as good restaurants - try 'Jackson Hole' for burgers, local Italian places and 'Alice's Teacup' for cakes. The subways are close by and NYC is so walkable anyway. The hotel's on an east -west street so it's a bit quieter too (our room faced the garden at the back on Level 4) - a decent night's sleep was guaranteed! Quick and friendly check-in in a small but serene lobby. Our accommodation was a very clean 1-bed suite + living area that included a sofa bed for the child. The kichenette meant we could have breakfast and light meals when we just wanted to stay in after a day's exploring. The bathroom was small but served our needs and included lovely products. We used the internet without any problems and we were able to store our laptop in the safe (large enough for other bits like passports/valuables) The beds were comfortable - including the sofa bed - and the maid service was timely and ensured a comfortable return from our days out in the city. We used the coin-op laundry a few times (essential if there's a child!), and enjoyed cheese and wine in the hotel lounge, and the great guitarist on Tuesday evening. All in all, a really comfortable stay and would choose again.
We landed in affinia garden's lobby on 7:30 AM after a 12 hour flight with our 20 month old baby girl. The receptionist let us into our room within five minutes and won our everlasting gratitude. The room itself was bliss. A white haven with plenty of room for play and rest, a small kitchen and best of all, a large patio all to ourselves. There was a bit of noise from construction in the afternoon but we were so tired and the beds were so comfortable we hardly noticed. The hotel's staff was exeptionally nice and concerned to the point of offering people umbrellas when walking out on a cloudy afternoon. All that in the lovely upper east side, within walking distance of central park, the Met, fifth avenue and more and very close to the subway. We reserved our room through quikbook and found great last minutes rates compared to other manhatten hotels and it was really worth every penny.
An all round good hotel. Excellent staff, always willing to help, not in the least pretentious, nothing too much trouble. We paid $229 plus tax for a room on the fifth floor, overlooking the small garden. Whilst not being luxury the rooms are comfortable, spacious, in a good area and the kitchen is a real plus. 5 minutes walk to shopping, restaurants and subway. A longer walk will get you to Central Park. I would not hesitate to return.
The Lyden Gardens is no more. Since mid-September, it has changed its name to the Affinia Gardens Hotel, to reflect its ownership by the Affinia Hotels group and a substantial refurbishment from top to bottom. (Note to TripAdvisor editors: best start a new thread for the newly-renamed hotel, perhaps...) My wife and I stayed there in the first week of the new image, and had a highly enjoyable four nights there. A regular guest my wife got talking to said that the new look has resulted in a significant ugrading for the hotel and its facilities, so maybe prices will rise to reflect this. The hotel is situated in a good part of town, four blocks away from the subway, and you might be best advised to ask for a room in the back of the hotel, as this does not overlook a road. We were fortunate enough to have a first floor room at the back, which came with a good-sized patio with seating for four. Our room would have been big enough for four double beds, let alone the two we had. Other room facilities were a small but newly refurbished bathroom, and a kitchen with fridge/freezer, gas cooker, microwave and sink. The Affinia Garden has been repositioned as a "Tranquil Hotel", with herbal teas available in the Serenity Bar at the front, opposite the highly organised, efficient and friendly reception. All in all, a good place to stay - we'd definitely return - but expect the prices to rise.
We have stayed twice at Lyden Gardens. We love the neighborhood and the roomy suites - a nice to place to relax in between NYC activities! Not the most luxurious of hotels, but a great value and wonderful location. Staff is very helpful with restaurant recommendations, arranging car service, etc. Will definitely go back.
We read the great reviews on Trip Advisor re: Lyden Gardens, so we had some expectations about what the suite would be like. However, we were disappointed to see that our room wasn't very clean at all. The kitchen counters were dirty (dried food), the floors in the bathroom and kitchen hadn't been cleaned, and the carpet throughout was dirty and smelly. We brought it to the attention of the front desk, and they cleaned the room while we were out, but we were pretty uncomfortable for the rest of the stay. All of that should have been taken care of before they gave us the keys to the room. We're not sure we'd stay there again.
My husband and I stayed at the Affinia Gardens for 3 nights while visiting our daughter and her husband on the Upper East Side. We had a jr. suite and found it spacious, beautifully decorated, and immaculately clean. It overlooked a pretty green space with a water feature. We especially enjoyed the coffee in the morning and the delicious selection of teas they offer all day.The neighborhood is convenient, quiet (for NY) and it offers a diverse selection of excellent restaurants. Two favorites are the Asia Grill and Mediterraneo. Both are nearby on 2nd Ave. There is a Food Emporium a block away which we enjoyed as our suite had a complete kitchen. A CVS Pharmacy is on the corner. We arrived early on the first day of our stay and flew home late on the day we checked out. Both times they took care of our bags for us. I cannot praise the friendly atttitude and professionalism of the staff highly enough. They were all terrific. We can't wait to return.
My wife and I stayed at the Affinia Gardens over the Thanksgiving holiday. The property certainly has some advantages over many New York hotels most notably the size of the rooms. If I were looking for a place to stay with kids this would be near the top of my list just because of loads of elbow room in the rooms. The hotel is indeed on a relatively quiet street with antihonking ordinance signs posted. This did make for mostly quiet nights and even though we were on the second floor, street noise wasn't an issue. We spent nearly $500/night for our room and given that price I was expecting more; this is not what I would call a luxury hotel. The Zen decor seems cheap and out of place. There is a minimun number of staff. Our room had a large stain on the carpet. There is no breakfast offered or restaurant nearby. Worst of all was the fire alarm that went off at 3am one night that nobody in the building could silence. We almost decided to go for a walk to escape the siren's wail but after 10 minutes the fire department arrived to shut it off. No compensation was offerred for our inconvenience. To sum up I think this Affinia met my basic hotel expectations of a quiet room, comfortable bed and good shower. But given the price paid I was expecting more.
I chose this hotel mainly due to the great feedback they had. I have to say that I was impressed with the hotel before I even got there. The receptionist Latoya was really helpful and arranged a Limo to collect us and to have a bottle of champagne in the room, she even emailed me a day beforehand to let me know the name and number of the limo driver. The hotel is on the Upper East Side and E64th Street has some beautiful properties. We stayed in a Junior King Suite and had a garden as well. The bed was massive and the pull out sofa bed was very comfortable. The kitchen was nicely equipped and the extra dressing area was well appreciated with 3 women trying to get ready. The welcome we received on booking in was great as well. I only had one minor gripe and this was that it took 3 requests to get bedding for the sofa bed, but every other request was attended to. All of the reception staff were really friendly and always said hello and greeted us with a smile. It had the atmosphere of a family run business which I much prefer. There was no noise at night and the garden was fantastic when it started to snow. The receptionist also recommended a town car to take us back to the airport and organised it all for us. I was a little disappointed that when we asked to extend our checkout time the receptionist was initially going to let us have it free, but the manager intervened and wanted to charge us a half day charge of $260 which we thought was a little excessive. They stored our bags with no hassle at all. I would definately recommend this hotel - the majority of the staff were extremely helpful and went the extra mile. The service I received at Affinia Gardens is definately well above many other hotels I have stayed in. Try JoJo down the road and right next door Alice's Tea Cup. Jo Jo is probably one of the best restaurants I ever ate in.
Had a terrfic stay at the Affinia Gardens. I chose the hotel based on the reviews. My wife, daughter and I have traveled to NYC a couple of times a year for the past 10 years - always one time in December. We used to always stay at the Stanhope on the Upper East Side but a few years ago it was sold and converted to luxury condos. I am fairly particular about where I stay and we have been searching for a new spot. We have stayed at several different hotels in the City over the past few years - some very well-known, some obscure - but didn't have much luck until our recent trip. The Affinia Gardens is a great hotel, simple yet inviting, with a wonderful staff and great location for us. It will be our new place to stay on all our trips to NYC. If you like being on the East Side, but want to be close enough to attractions and great restaurants, then you want to stay here. We stayed in a junior suite with a kitchen. The room was very clean and comfortable and had its own thermostat so you could adjust the heat. It had two cozy beds and plenty of room for the three of us. My daughter said it felt like home and she didn't want to leave. All of the front desk staff was extremely helpful and friendly; offering advice as needed. Other than the Stanhope where we were regulars, the front desk is by far the friendliest and most helpful that I have experienced in the city. One gentleman even let me take his parking space near the hotel - something he didn't have to do. He was leaving as we were checking in. Kudos to the manager for having such a nice staff. Lastly, the tea room in the lobby is a great feature, especially on cold days in the city! I would highly recommend this hotel and will return on our next trip!
We stayed at the Affinia Gardens the week before Christmas and were very pleased with our visit. The personnel at the front desk could not have been more friendly or accommodating, and we even found other guests that we met in the "tea bar" (great teas, excellent coffee in the morning, and wine and cheese one night each week) to be friendly and in good holiday spirits! We had a 1-bedroom suite which was BIG - the bedroom had two very comfortable queen beds with high quality linens, a living room with pull-out sofa, leather recliner, and large television, and well-equipped kitchen. The size was excellent for three of us, and the location on the east side was perfect for wandering shops and good restaurants. Everything was very clean and up to date -- we would definitely go back! (p.s. Jackson Hole across the street had the best hamburger I've had in a LONG time....)
My husband ,17yr old daughter and myself stayed here from Dec 18-23rd. We also were travelling with another couple and their 17yr. old daughter. They raved about it! It was through Trip Advisor that I even found it and all the reviews were basically positive and being a flight attendant for 28 yrs service and location along with quietness is what I look for.! The location is 215 E. 64th st. and there are a ton of resturants to choose from by just walking around. The rooms are very nicely sized with a seperate kitchen that is small but has all the basics. I like having a refrigerator and coffee right in my room. The staff there is above and beyond in every way. SUPER nice knowledgeable and gave us very good recommendations! Try the Jackson hole resturant across the street. VERY good prices for New York. Also Brian the manager was very helpful in recommending Portifino's . Italian of course. The rooms are quiet other that street noise from sirens etc. It is after all New York. I will definately recommed this to Passengers on my flights and anyone I know going to New York for a very nice place to hang out. Taxis are reasonable and you can see the city better than the subway. I hope this helps because I really like this place and I sure like reading reviews and that is how I decided to stay at the Affinia Gardens! C Reilly Seattle
The Affinia, formerly the Lyden Gardens, has first floor suites that are bigger than most of the Manhattan apartments we've seen. The place has a ramped entrance, an attentive staff and room service from several nearby restaurants ranging from burgers to breakfast to bistro dinners. The price point, for the Upper East Side location, is phenominal. Can't say enough about this and other Affinia properties. We don't work for this chain or have any affiliation, we just like to sing the praises of the rare property that offers roll-in showers and every other amenity a disabled traveler is seeking on the road.
yes the rooms are very spacious. But the staff is extremely rude. I got into arguments with the Manager at the front desk twice during my stay because he just didn't know what customer service is about. He kept saying: "Ma'am, you ask me a question, I gave you an answer, what do you want". The housekeeping staff doesn't do a very good job either. They only make your bed and give you new towels. Don't even bother to tidy up the place. In addition, they will pop into your room early in the morning without knocking on the door!!!
We stayed here in a 1 BR suite with two adults and three small children. This was a phenomenal deal. The room was very spacious and well decorated. The beds were comfortable and the kitchenette was great for small meals (e.g. bagels for breakfast). The staff was also very helpful and my daughters loved the little tea room in the lobby. I also like that it is in a real NYC neighborhood - not midtown or, god forbid, Times Square. If you want to be a hardcore tourist, this may not be the hotel for you.
we've been staying here for years. we love this place. great location. friendly staff. we've never done much cooking, just breakfast and the kitchen's great for that. bed's are comfy. only problem this last time was the early morning trucks and all the construction noise.
This hotel is an excellent and affordable find in Manhattan. I stayed there years ago and recently returned for a weekend visit. The staff is very friendly and welcoming but the best part is the size of the room! It's decorated in a nice modern style and is almost like having your own apartment in town. It was clean with a very comfortable bed. Additionally, the neighborhood is quiet and provides a nice break after a day or night out. When I'm in NYC visiting this is the first place I'll look to stay. Highly recommended.
What a wonderful place to stay. Close to the most lovely streets in Manhattan (and just a stroll to Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffanys, credit cards watch out!!), quiet, extremely large and comfortable rooms with the most friendly and accommodating staff. Would stay here again in a flash, only problem is since we booked it appears the rates have almost doubled - we were lucky to snag a very competitive rate of about US$225 per night plus taxes which, for this quality, is almost unheard of. So it appears the secret is out! Hotel just down the street from JoJo's, a great restaurant where we ate probably the best dinner of our whole trip. The beds were amazing, bathroom excellent, furnishings were simple and attractive. The only tiny gripe was the kitchen was not stocked with adequate cooking utensils/equipment so a proper full 'home-cooked' dinner at night was not really possible (would have liked more bowls, servers, pots and pans and vege steamers etc - but you could manage I guess and most people probably don't eat in the hotel when in such a city). But that is a very minor fault. All up, highly recommended, although wondering if, with the apparent new price list, people might just go to The Peninsular instead? Thanks to the Affinia Gardens staff, they made our stay totally enjoyable and do an excellent job.
Stayed a week at the Affinia Gardens in late June, requested 2 queen beds for family of three. Extremely comfortable and spacious room, with an excellent staff, from bellmen to front desk to room personnel. Had a problem with the room's internet connection, which turned out to be a problem with the floor's internet connection. Transferred to a room on a different floor with a working connection (necessary for this partial business trip). Hotel is a couple of blocks away from the 6 subway line, which took us to most of lower Manhattan, including the Theater District. Near to the hotel are Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick Collection, as well as Central Park.
Affinia Garden is an amazing, AFFORDABLE find in NYC. The website doesn't disappoint---the hotel lives up to everything described and more. The location (Upper East Side, near Central Park) was an easy subway ride to all of Manhattan, but was a relaxing, quiet break from the hustle of the city. The staff was actually friendly, kept the room in pristine condition (they even washed our dishes daily), and offered helpful suggestions. The best part, though, was the room---spacious and sharp in a modern but fun decor. The beds were really comfortable, the hotel has a pillow menu, and there was more than ample storage. (The only complaint I had was that the bathroom was very small, but how much time do you spend in there?) The full kitchen had granite countertops and Wolfgang Puck coffee. I'd stay here again---our family of four had lots of room and our sleep-loving members had plenty of quiet in the morning. Yummy teas in the lobby, great movie and T.V. selections for relaxing, and an atmosphere that capped off our visit to NYC in a great way!
Superb hotel! Spacious suite for 3 single travellers including 3 double beds. Friendly and helpful staff, very attentive. Great location with nearby bank and a good choice of restaurants. Complimentary herbal teas also a nice touch!
I found this hotel via Trip Advisor reviews for New York City Hotels. All the reviews were glowing and raised my suspicion that the staff must have written them or people were given free rooms to write them I am not part of those groups and I can say this hotel is EXCELLENT!! Just to ease my concern, I called the hotel 2 months in advance of my reservation to tour the property and talk to the staff. Concern 1: What does the room look like?, is it big enough? Answer: The room size is HUGE!- My 1 bedroom deluxe was 400- 600 sq ft. (I counted approx. 40 steps from the room door to the living room table). I wear a size 9. Concern 2: Will the staff/service be accommodating? Answer: YES! They not only answered all my questions in February, they remembered me in April and were able to help with a special balloon delivery to the room. They also make you feel like you are the only guest at the hotel. Negatives: The bathroom was small, but we don't spend a good amount of time there. The elevator was small holding about 3 people, the bellman and 1 luggage caddy strategically. We continue to talk about the room size and how nicely decorated with modern furniture. A great investment and it is worth mentioning any discounts (AAA,etc)
This was my first stay at the Affinia Gardens Hotel. I've stayed in many places in NYC and the Affinia is my new favorite. Three of us, all men, needing separate beds, were accomodated way beyond our expectations. Our suite was huge, tastefully and comfortably furnished. The room was ultra clean and was kept that way every day by our housekeeper. The lobby staff and bellman were proactive and creative without being pushy or presumptuous. That really impressed me. We had 3 flawless nights and days. And the bedding was terrific, even the sleeper sofa. I may never stay anywhere else in NYC. This hotel just rocks with good service and great vibe! And I'm terribly picky.
We are making our third trip in May to see our daughter graduate college and couldn't imagine staying elsewhere! The penthouse suites are amazing and spacious, very much like being at home! We hosted a reception there last year for 15 and had plenty of space with a beautiful view from the wrap around balcony. The staff was most helpful in all aspects and we will do the same in May for the post graduation reception.
I stayed at this hotel during February of this year. It was really a pleasant surprise. . . .the rate was quite good, so I was expecting alot less. The staff was quite welcoming, helping me with directions, cabs, transport back to the airport, etc. Everything was done with a smile. The room was incredibly large . ..two queen beds, plenty of closet space, even a small kitchenette! It was clean and unbelievably quiet! I will definitely stay here again.
My three friends and I have just returned from a 5 night stay in New York and for the second time, we have stayed at the Affinia Gardens - loved it! Staff and management are so friendly & obliging; apartment style accomodation is comfortable and spacious - we even had a balcony , though still a bit too cold in March to make use of it! The location is excellent - lots of nice bars and restaurants nearby and some small boutique style shops with accesssories to die for!! You can probably tell we are females who love shopping! Wouldn't stay anywhere else when visiting New York
I cannot say enough good things about this hotel! I always read the hotel reviews before booking. If you are like me, I highly recommend this hotel. The rooms were spotless. The location was excellent. It is located on a quiet residential street, you do not hear the traffic. The service was fantastic. We asked for a couple of things and we received them immediately. The deluxe one bedroom suite is huge. It is bigger than many apartments. The kitchen has all appliances and granite counter tops. Our room was even made up the day we were leaving. I am planning on staying there again.
I went to New York for a weekend with a friend and had a lovely experience at the Affinia Gardens Hotel. The room was huge - my friend and I kept thinking - we could live here! We had 2 queen size beds that were completely comfortable, the bathroom, while smallish in size, was well appointed and they made maximum use of the space, there was a great desk and a separate area to put on your make-up, as well as tons of storage space (huge wall unit) AND a full kitchen (including a gas stove). There is a grocery store less than 2 blocks away and the area was really lovely. The staff were great - friendly, attentive, and had wonderful suggestions. In fact - we had asked where to go to dinner the following night and they remembered and called us the next day to see if we wanted a reservation. I've traveled a fair amount and have to say that this was one of the best experiences I ever had - it felt like personal service with a friendly staff that were genuine and kind.
The biggest rooms I've had in NYC @ this price! Stayed in 2 different room categories recently. The Deluxe 1 bedroom (which is described as a Penthouse when you get there....and it is!). It was on the top floor of hotel, unbelievably spacious -- a desk/work area (with hi speed internet), big living room & dining room with wrap around windows that looked out to the outdoor wrap-around terrace. If it hadn't been 6 degrees we might have made use of the terrace, that was very large and roomy enough for some lounge chairs & table. The small kitchen offered everything needed - fridge, stove, microwave, dishes, coffemaker, toaster, etc. and the bedroom with 2 queen beds was huge too., Bathroom was suprisingly small for size of all other rooms, but certainly adequate. Rooms were clean & simple, modern furniture. Not 5 star....but definitely deluxe for the price! Hotel service was great and atmosphere comfortable & relaxing. Location perfect for uptown shopping. Close to supermarkets, cinema, boutiques, great restaurants and only 2-3 blocks to subways. Also had a chance to stay in Junior Suite - the smallest room available and it was bigger than most hotel rooms I've had in NY. Very comfortable for 1-2 people. Had a smaller kitchen, but all the appliances you need, desk/work area, large "living space" with king size bed and sofa/lounging area. Bathroom was decent size and, again, bargain priced for space you get. This is my new favorite spot to land for a NYC visit.
I honestly can't say enough GOOD about Affinia gardens. Staff treated you like you were at the waldorf. My husband and I walked all over NYC on a weekend trip and checked into our hotel and much to our surprise - our room was HUGE, CLEAN, COMFORTABLE, Large TV for relaxation, WE HAD A KITCHEN! It was amazing. I used to live in New York and I would honestly say that this is probably the best hotel I've ever seen. DONT go anywhere else! Simply Amazing!
I initially first booked the hotel because it is so very close to my grandson; thus - "location, lcation". We've stayed here several times and have been very pleased with our experience. The rooms are spacious and the bathrooms adequate and it's nice to have the mini-kitchen available. We found the rooms quiet and well-maintained, the beds comfortable, and the staff courteous; however, I would not describe it as a "luxury hotel". There are conveniences in this residential neighborhood and the hotel seems more an apartment than a hotel , which has pleased us during our visits. As long as our grandson lives in the neighborhood, we'll be staying at the Affinia Gardens, for we very much appreciate the atmosphere they have created for their guests.
We stayed in Affinia Gardens Dec06-Jan07 for ten days. What a brilliant hotel - HUGE rooms, with your own kitchen and a coffee machine. There is no restaurant in the hotel, but they have menues of close by restaurants and you can order deliveries from your room - Crusty Pizza on the 2nd is really yummy. Close to the underground as well - F stops on Lexington and 6 on 63rd - $10 for 6 rides - a bargain Try their relaxing CD and buckwheat pillows - I am addicted to it now
I hope the Affinia management will not use all of our rave reviews against us by making it an unaffordable destination. I love the location - if you want a more serene "day in the life of a New Yorker" setting on the Upper East side, this is the place. 4 large blocks from the park, about half that distance to the nearest subway stop, and of course the beautiful Park and Madison avenues. Despite a minor glitch with an arranged car, the staff is exemplary and very customer oriented. Beautiful in a Zen style with a better than average gym. Thank you Affinia
I stayed here in April and the class and quality of the hotel was apparent as soon as we stepped through the doors. Upon arrival you are offered a complimentary glass of Affinia's flavoured water (sounds silly, but is actually worth writing about). The reception staff were wonderful and the porters always available. The chill-out area adjacent to the reception was perfect and used by us on more than one occasion. The rooms were massive, kitchen and bathroom pristine and I have never slept in a more comfortable bed (and that includes my own). The easy to use safe was reassuring too. There is nothing bad to say about this hotel, I would actually say that it was a highlight of my trip to NYC.
I cannot say enough good things about the Affinia Gardens. The client is king, the beds are so comfortable, the room was enormous, the amenities (bath products, little kits) are wonderful, the staff truly makes you feel at home, and best of all : silent, silent nights. I was there with my husband for a 5 night stay. It is a great location. Central park is just a stone's throw away. But, really, the staff is what makes this hotel special. You can tell that clients are happy and that everyone is there to make your stay as nice as possible. We will stay there again. Oh, and the price!! Wow! Great value.
Don't be put off by the fact that this hotel is on 64th St. transport to tourist places easy and safe and it was further up central park so we saw more that the obligatory entrance opposite the Plaza. The hotel upgraded us to the penthouse which was of course very nice but I wouldn't class it as penthouse quality. They are refurbishing at the moment so I am sure that will change. The service was excellent. The staff were so helpful and friendly. They leave little cards with "tranquility tips" in the room which was a sweet touch. Don't get over excited by the complimentary tranquilty kits though - they are not very exciting! On the whole a good place to stay. There were no entertainment facilities in the hotel which was a shame but we ate out at Asia Grill around the corner on 2nd Ave which was unbelievable good value for money and excellent food.
Enjoyed our stay at Affinia Gardens. Location is great-proximity to the park, Madison Ave shops & great restaurants. The hotel- Large rooms, friendly staff, affordable. The whole tranquility (in the city)theme has been achieved. From the cucumber water upon arrival, the tea bar, nature sounds in the room, aveda bath products, to the complimentary tranquility kits you can use during your stay (choice between 3 types) it was pampering all around, especially after a long day with lots of walking. Area restaurants- I would reccomend JoJo, which is very close- the west side of Third on 64th. Central Park Boat House was great for all our breakfasts after a walk in the park. Shopping- Bloomingdale's is only a short stroll away, along with all of the great shops on Madison Ave. from 59th to the 80's. Can't wait to go back.
I stayed at the Affinia Gardens June 20-22 with my wife and son. We loved it. The room was huge and immaculate. We had the smallest room category in the hotel, and it was gigantic by New York standards. We had 2 queen beds and more closet space than we could possibly use. The bathroom was not huge, but there was a small alcove with a mirror and shelf which gave ample room to spread out. I stayed at the Affinia 50 just after its renovation. I disagree with the earlier reviewer: the renovation of the Affinia Gardens is every bit as nice as the Affinia 50. Housekeeping was excellent. The housekeeper found a spot on the carpet and called in to have it cleaned without our having to call it to her attention. The hotel was also very quiet. It is across the street from the Manhattan Eye Hospital, but the hospital has no emergency room, so you did not have to worry about ambulance sirens. Our room was next to the elevator. However, we were not at all disturbed by it (the design is intelligent; the elevator is closest to the bathroom, not the beds). Our room was not ready until 2:00 p.m., so we had to check our bags. However, the bellman, Sal was extremely accommodating. He let us retrieve items from our bags and check extra items so we could sightsee comfortably. In response to another review, I am not sure why anyone would wait several hours to check in with Manhattan just outside the door. Because we were there on a Tuesday night, we were invited to a wine and cheese reception. The wine was inexpensive, but quite good (you don't expect gran vins at these events). The cheese offered was above average for this kind of event. What stood out in my mind was that the manager made an effort to introduce himself. He also served the wine. He actually was interested in meeting us and seeing the guests mingle. I have never had such a warm reception at one of these receptions. We liked the location at 64th St. and 3rd Avenue. There was a Food Emporium at the corner which was great for snacks and drinks to store in the full size refrigerator. It also had a deli; we got sandwiches one day when we needed something on the run. I liked being a little bit out of the bustle of midtown. Dylan's Candy Bar was a block away, a big hit with my son. The downsides were minor. The exercise room is modest. I would avoid rooms on the first floor. Two rooms are directly across from the exercise room and 4 steps down from the lobby. The Lexington Avenue subway line is several blocks away, but the weather was nice so we walked or took a cab. I might have felt differently if it was February and I had to take the subway. I paid an average of $265 per night through Quikbook (before adding those outrageous NYC taxes), which I thought was a very good value. I think this place is far preferable to places like the Paramount which offer style, but shoebox sized rooms. We would definitely return.
We just got back from a fabulous stay in NYC in THE best hotel we've ever had the good fortune to find-The Affinia Gardens. Not only is the location wonderful (E. 64th & 3rd Ave.-4 blocks from Central Park) but the rooms were ENORMOUS! The staff was the friendliest we've ever encountered. I hesitate to let anyone else know about this incredible find for fear of it being booked the next time we go. There's no reason to stay any place else!
We just spent 5 days and 4 nights in NYC. We stayed at the Affinia Gardens hotel and I was very impressed with the staff and the hotel. The 5 day stay at Affinia Gardens went beyond my expectations of a hotel. The staff was very friendly and helpful and the rooms were very clean and comfortable. I would definetly stay at this hotel again and recommend it to my friends and family. The hotel used to be an apartment building - the room we stayed in had a full kitchen and enough room to sleep 4 or so people. It also had a separate bedroom with two very comfortable queen size beds with down comforters and a living room. The rooms were very very very clean and very comfortable. The location of the hotel was very accomdating. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who was coming to NYC. The one thing that really stands out in our stay at this hotel is we got home rather late on Sunday and wanted to purchase a bottle of wine. We asked the front desk if they knew of a place that was open that would sell wine. They said everything was closed; however the person behind the desk had a bottle that she purchased eariler in the evening and they gave it to us for free. The staff was very friendly and it made the stay very nice. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who was coming to NYC.
We have stayed in New York a number of times and would say that this has been the most comfortable hotel to date. Their focus is on tranquility and they certainly achieve this as much as can be expected in a busy place like NYC. The responsiveness and courtesy of all staff was outstanding and the rooms were big, modern and well appointed. The bathroom although not large was luxurious with high quality toiletries and an excellent shower. Just a few blocks from Central Park, the location of the hotel is great for exploring the park and the upper east side; yet only a few dollars in a cab(c. $5-7) to get to Times Square. Will will certainly consider staying here again in the future.
We could only stay here one night of our 2 night NYC visit but I could have stayed for a week. The room was huge and had a spa-like feeling. Great kitchen with everything we needed to serve our Chinese delivery food. They have menus for the local places and deliver to your room for a $2.00 service fee. Hard to find a good resonably priced place on the East side and this was perfect.
I've been coming to New York during this time in March each year for the past 5 years for the Big East basketball tournament. Three years ago a stumbled upon the Affinia Dumont thanks the Trip Advisor and have faithfully gone to Affinia properties in NYC ever since. This year I stayed in the two bedroom suite with 5+ guys. The suite was spacious, well appointed, clean and all of these adult males fit easily into the room with plenty of space to spare. The hotel has a 'tranquility' theme, accented with an excellent tea bar in the lobby. It's a nice touch after arduous travel. However, this Affinia property is simply not the equal of the Affinia Dumont or the Affinia 50, in my opinion. It hasn't been re-done or appointed in quite the level of style as the others, though similar. The area of town is also a little more sterile, being the Upper East Side and all. Lastly, for the first time, I was disappointed in an Affinia property's service. Though I arrived prior to the 3 o'clock check-in time, my room wasn't ready and wasn't ready until after 3. Also, the staff didn't seem to be in any rush to make it up, though I sat in the lobby, patiently sipping at the tea bar for a few HOURS. Moreover, they regarded the presence of multiple young men (we're all well paid young professionals in our late 20's and early 30's) as somewhat of a nuisance and a potential hazard to the 'tranquility' of the hotel. I was disappointed that I was treated with such little respect after always enjoying fantastic service at Affinias. Still, if you're a couple or a family, I'm sure they'll be as accomodating as always. Still excellent for NYC by any standard and still recommended. Though, next time, I'll probably go for the Affinia Dumont or Affinia 50.
Thanks to the reviews on this site, I had a pleasant 4-night stay at the Affinia Gardens. The room was large, clean and overall seemed brand new. The only giveway that it was not new were the random stains on the carpet, but its hard to critisize because all of the other elements were well above average. The kitchen is equipped with enough basics to be useful. The bathroom was large, well lit and pristinely clean. I have never seen a bathroom with such ample storage space, a nice plus. Like other reviewers, I too have stayed in other nice NYC hotels like the W, Paramount, etc. in rooms that were plush but way too small and cramped. The Affinia Garden's rooms are not only huge by NYC standards, they are huge for a hotel room, period. A great find in a great location, a good healthy walk to midtown or Central Park, yet quiet enough to sleep soundly at night. Highly recommend.
I cannot begin to tell you how much we enjoyed our visit to New York and our stay at the Affinia Gardens. The rooms have recently been very tastefully remodeled and refurnished in a modern style. Our suite was wonderfully sized with all the conveniences (I must confess we were upgraded to the penthouse on our arrival. A wonderful surprise.) The staff is exceptional, informed and helpful. Upon arrival they asked about our plans, if we needed tickets to any shows, if we had been to New York before, etc. Maps and tour guides were provided. I like small touches too like the housekeeping staff greeting you by name if you met them on the floor. There's a nearby grocery store which is great for loading in groceries for snacking and saving some meal expense. The kitchen is well equipped if you should decide to cook. While the Affinia doesn't have a restaurant, they have arrangements with four nearby restaurants (Chinese, Italian, American-Diner, Hamburger) for delivery for a $2 service charge. Another arrangement with a parking garage two doors down provides for a discounted parking. Great location on the east side, convenient to museums and transportation. I almost hate posting such a rave review if it makes the Affinia too popular. But they earned it.
I stayed for 3 days and was amazed at the size of the room. Having stayed in other NYC hotels, this is by far one of the best for the price. The kitchen was a big money saver and the staff was friendly, knowledgable and helpul. I had to day-sleep needed to change rooms due to construction - they were most gracious. Would definitely stay again.
My husband and I stayed at the Affinia for New Years Eve. I must start however by saying that we lived in NYC for many years and just live outside of the city now, so we are New Yorkers. If people from other places come here they may not be satisfied, but as a New Yorker, these rooms are HUGE and a good price, and extremely nice. I also have to say that I worked at the Waldorf Astoria for YEARS fairly recently, and my mother worked at the Grand Hyatt. I have been into the rooms of New Yorks top hotels - the Palace, Plaza, Hilton, Hyatt, St Regis, etc. I LOVED this hotel. It was quiet, clean with fabulous rooms, I would never reccomend other hotels above this one. You have a kitchen, and a living space - our room was larger than most NYer's apartments. It is not a huge hotel, but that is a good thing, trust me.
We stayed at the Affinia Gardens hotel on East 64th St near 3rd Ave in December 2005. We paid under $300 per night the week before Christmas, which was one of the better deals available on the internet at that time of year. This is the third Affinia hotel we have stayed at in New York, and they've all been excellent. It's recently rennovated with handsome, modern furnishings and fixtures. Room was very large with two beds, a lounge chair, a desk, plenty of floor space and a full kitchen. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. They have coffee and tea in the lobby, and although they have no restaurant, they have a suprisingly good and efficient delivery arrangement with four local restaurants. This functions like room service except that you call the restaurants directly. The delivery is made to the front desk who puts the food charge on your hotel bill, and then a hotel employee delivers the food to your room. Prices were reasonable and you have access to four large and diverse menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We like the upper east side, and this is an excellent hotel in that area.
If you want a place to feel pampered and truly relax, this is the hotel for you. It was well located and we were able to walk to most places that we wanted to go.
I made a reservation about a month before our stay at The Lyden Gardens which I secured with our credit card. The morning we left California to fly to Manhattan, I called and confirmed our reservation using the confirmation number. When we arrived at The Lyden Gardens that night at about 9pm we were informed that the Hotel was oversold and that we were being sent to The Sheraton Meadowlands in New Jersey. Needless to say, I was not pleased. When we arrived at the Sheraton in Jersey it was 11pm. The restaurant and room service had just closed. No dinner! The next day we made our way back to Manhattan by about noon. The Lyden Gardens paid our cab fare each way. We waited in the lobby about one hour while they prepared our room. Essentially we lost one day of our vacation. They did send up a bottle of wine, pay for two nights (out of seven) of our lodging. One of the nights they paid for was our night in New Jersey. They also picked up the tab for one dinner we had at a restaurant on the corner. One of the things that galls me about our experience is that if we hadn't shown up the first night our credit card would have been charged for the full amount. They are protected. We (as the consumer) are not.
The Lyden Gardens is not a fancy, overpriced hotel. But our family loved it and we will definitely stay there again. It is very convenient, near the Upper East, offices, short walk to Central Park. Being between 2nd and 3rd Ave means the neighborhood is not glamorous, but there are lots of restaurants, grocery stores, dry cleaners, etc. nearby. The Food Emporium nearby is a gourmet grocery, and China Fun restaurant was very good but crowded (popular). The Lyden Gardens lobby was curiously small, but clean and the desk staff was always friendly and helpful. The best thing was that the room was large, with a nice sized (for Manhattan), separate kitchen. Also, we really appreciated the broadband wireless Internet connection, which we subscribed for at a modest price. So the computer worked anywhere in the room. We had a room on the third floor facing the trees in back, which was a much nicer view than many hotels and apartments in Manhattan. Also, the exercise room was better than many hotels I've stayed in.
I stayed in lyden Gardens the weekend before Christmas 2004(shopping), Had a great time. The hotel had a very festive atmosphere, the staff were very helpful, you only had to ask for directions or info and they would go out of there way to help. The rooms were spacious and had everything we needed for meals, it was like a mini apartment, clean and tidy. It also has an excellent location, only 5 minuets from Cental Park and the subway, that on the N and the R train will take you top to bottom in Manhattan within 20 minuets (2 for 45st or 5 for 34st), also being off a main avenue is quite quiet for a good nights sleep. I recommend Lyden Gardens to anyone on the lookout for great value that you dont have to sacrifice location or quality for. I will be returning next year.
We stood in the Lyden Gardens at the beggining of December 2004. The hotel staff was friendly and very helpful. Rooms are big (We stood in a 1 Bedroom room with 2 queen beds and a sofa). Beds are not very comfortable, and the sofa is horrible for sleeping. Bathroom is small and a little bit "old", but is enough. Think about this hotel as an option if you are not looking for a luxury "look & feel hotel". We recommend you the Italian Restaurant in the Room Service. Food is very good and price is OK. The only thing to take into account with the room service is that the hotel charges you a fee for the room service and also makes you call to order yourself the food (outside call). Small hint: Try to get a room with garden views (not street views) to have a silent room.
i thought it was an amazing place that had everything a hotel needs. The service is great and the location is awesome close to everything. Also we needed to get food so we could just go 2 blocks to get to food emporium, a great grocery store. We all cant wait to go back.
Recently stayed at the Lyden Gardens. I've stayed in many different hotels in NYC and wanted to try something more "boutiquey" this time. The rooms were very roomy and the room on the 1st floor had a cute patio with a table and chairs! Will stay there again.
The Lyden Gardens is a great place to stay for anyone who needs a bit of room. The suites are big, bright and clean. The location is brilliant, and the staff is outstanding (and multilingual, with French, Russian, Spanish and Polish spoken---along with who knows what else). The bathrooms are small, but otherwise fine. All in all, a bargain!
After reading the reviews for The Habitat Hotel I had originally booked with I had nightmares that I would be eaten alive by bedbugs! Luckily I saw the reviews two weeks before I left for New York and booked The Lyden instead. I was a bit wary before I arrived because there was only 4 reviews and they were all good ones! I thought there must be a catch! I was pleasantly surprised. The hotel was in an excellent location. A 15 minute walk 10 if you walk quickly to 5th Avenue and Central Park. There was a 5, 10 minute cab ride away to Times Square if you couldn't be bothered walking (25-30 mins) Only 12 dollars including tip! The hotel itself was great. I shared a junior suite with my sister and it was big for us! Very clean. Two queen size beds, 3 wardrobes (closets) and a safe. There longing area with sofa and table, a television, a separate kitchen and bathroom and a shower! The hotel provided 24 hour room service from 4 of the local restaurants surrounding 64th street. We used them all! There were also grocery stores and pharmacy's near by for your convenience too. Yep we used those too. The beds were made daily by the maid and clean towels were put out every day. She even washed our dishes one day. Gave her a big tip at the end! The staff were always helpful and polite, and the bellboys were also full of information and willing to help. Big thanks to the polish guy Kris (bellboy) who sorted out our ride back to JFK. Lovely air conditioned car! I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone and when I go back I will definitely be staying here. Only thing is if you don't like noise early in the morning i.e. garbage trucks and delivery trucks to the local hotels and restaurants then bring your earplugs if you are a light sleeper! I didn't mind I was in New York after all!
This wonderful east side suites hotel has relieved us of the pressure for our own pied-a-terre in NY. The staff is welcoming and helpful, the location phenomenal, and the price more than reasonable. As a result, we have come back often for more than a dozen years. Within minutes, if you wish, you can buy groceries only a half block away, and have a full breakfast from your well furnished kitchen, which alone saves much of what would be a formal hotel's cost. This is one of those names we love so much that we hate to share - though its broad international clientel from the UN, etc., keep the hotel full, friendly, and interesting. Were its suites ever to go condo, I certainly would want to buy one. You won't be disappointed, unless you are seeking artifice and obsequiousness. P.S. When you reserve, request a suite overlooking the gardens.
We loved the Lyden Gardens. The rooms are big and the Lyden has the ambience of its upper east side neighborhood(which we love). It is like having your own NYC residence. We were in town for a wedding and the suite was big enough to entertain and the living room was like having an extra bedroom for the overflow.The staff was friendly and helpful. I can see coming back a couple of times a year for a New York fix.
This is a comfortable hotel with full kitchens and large rooms in a great upper east side neighborhood. It's like having your own apartment. It's not posh or trendy but it is like being at home. We've stayed there many times, usually a week at a time and the staff are very friendly and helpful. The neighborhood is filled with wonderful restaurants and shops.
This is a wonderful place to stay in NYC, we´ve been staying here for more than 10 years. The neighborhood is fantastic, rooms are huge, you feel like at home . The staff is highly professional but friendly and always ready to help. you should try to get reservations well in advance of your stay , prices tend to go up so it´s better to check in advance to better rates. Definitely a great place to stay either for short term or even long term stays. Will keep getting back to this Hotel.
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