70 Park Avenue Hotel Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Gramercy and Murray Hill, Manhattan, New York City

Guests work in the lobby

Kimpton, an upscale, service-oriented hotel group, opened 70 Park Avenue in 2004 with the goal of creating a home-away-from-home atmosphere. As cliched as that sounds, it seems to have worked. Among the soft earth tones and hushed lounge music in the lobby, guests (mostly business travelers) relax next to a limestone fireplace during a daily free wine offering. (It's worth noting that free wine and cheese is an increasingly popular trend among New York boutique hotels and is also offered at the Library Hotel, Hotel Elysee, and Hotel Giraffe, among others in the area.) The hotel is generally quiet -- and for most guests, that's the major draw -- but if you're after a little more late-night action, check out the nearby W Tuscany.

70 Park is one of the very few New York hotels to actually participate in green programs. For starters, the hotel does not use ammonia or bleach-based cleaning products, and promises that all cleaning agents are nontoxic and environmentally safe. All materials are made from 100 percent recycled paper and soy-based inks, and it makes an effort to recycle about 60 percent of its waste.

Apples are available for guests

In keeping with the Kimpton group's high service standards, the 70 Park staff was routinely prompt and professional. I called on the front desk twice -- once about a malfunctioning toilet and once for some toothpaste -- and both times a staff member arrived at my room within minutes.

The concierge proved to be very helpful. I tested her by asking her to recommend a restaurant for a casual date. "Something not expensive, but not pub food either," I said. And wine, she added with a grin. She was able to show me the menus (online) of three local restaurants, including Barbes, a popular French-Moroccan place. In addition, she was able to describe various rooftop bars, including 230 Fifth and Bookmarks, the rooftop bar at the Library Hotel.

View on a Larger Map

70 Park Avenue obviously sits right on Park Avenue, just south of Grand Central Station, on the corner of Park and 38th Street. The doormen can hail cabs quickly and easily on this well-traveled street. Park Avenue is safe and, in this part of town, pretty quiet. It is New York, though, so don't be surprised to hear the random siren at night.

There are numerous restaurants nearby, especially on Madison Avenue (one block west). Curry Hill, the nickname for a small subsection of Murray Hill, is a three-block stretch of -- you guessed it -- Indian restaurants and shops.

New York City has three nearby airports: JFK, La Guardia, and Newark (in New Jersey). Getting into town from JFK or LaGuardia is usually more convenient than from Newark, but travel times are heavily dependent on the time of day and traffic conditions. From JFK, a taxi to anywhere in Manhattan costs a flat rate of $45 and takes around an hour in average conditions. From LaGuardia, a metered cab ride to midtown Manhattan costs about $40 and can take 30 minutes if traffic is light, three times that if it's bad. Rides from Newark cost at least $40 plus tolls and can take more than 90 minutes. It's customary to tip your driver 15 to 25 percent.

Those looking to save some cash can use the privately run shuttle buses that are available at all three airports for about $14 per person. For more information on the shuttles, go to Super Shuttle or New York Airport Service. Public transit is also available for as little as $7 per person, but travel can take up to two hours and involve a lot of lugging bags up and down stairways.

For mass-transit directions right to the hotel, check out HopStop.com.

The Queen Deluxe Room

Rooms come with comfortable, soft lighting; modern furniture; and textured wallpaper that looks vaguely like wood, but not the cheesy fake wood you'd find on the sides of an old station wagon.

The standard double guest room starts at 225 square feet, which is a bit small by national standards but about average for a New York City boutique. Deluxe guest rooms, like my deluxe queen with its queen-size bed, offer a bit more space (235 to 325 square feet). Larger rooms with two double or queen-size beds are also available, as well as "primer" rooms (325 to 350 square feet) and suites (325 to 475 square feet) with two-person Jacuzzis. For the big splurge, there's also one 2,000-square-foot penthouse suite on the 17th floor with a wraparound balcony. Adjoining rooms are available on many floors.

Modern features like an iHome iPod docking station, a 42-inch LCD flat-screen TV with on-demand movies and a 24-hour yoga channel, and electric candela candles come in all rooms. (Note that the removable electric candle lights sound very tacky but are actually pretty cool, giving the room a warm feel without risking fire.) Too bad I had to pay for in-room Wi-Fi ($10.95 per day).

Among the organic snacks and other treats in the well-stocked minibar are martini olives, something not found at most hotels, and tiger-spot-printed boxers and camisoles can be found in the closet for $30 each, something definitely not found at any other hotel.

Bathrooms are kept clean and come with L'Occitane bath products. The shower in my room had good water pressure.

Deluxe rooms come with a desk and a comfortable leather desk chair. Unlike at most New York boutiques, the desk is actually big enough that you can spread out a few documents and actually do some work at it.

The main drawback, as with most boutiques, is that there's not much of a view. From my room, it was just three brick walls. The upside of this is, of course, quiet. Rooms that end in 05 are corner rooms with a view south down Park Avenue. Rooms ending in 10, 11, and 15 face Park Avenue and also have great views, though these can be a little noisier, especially on the lower floors.

Complementary laptops are available in lobby

Space is limited, but the hotel makes best use of it. There's a free 5 p.m. wine hour in the lobby. The hotel also has a meeting room, and two Mac laptops in the lobby for guests to use. (The first 15 minutes are free, but each additional 15 minutes costs $5.95.)

There is no fitness center on-site, but for $10 per visit, guests have access to the New York Sports Club three blocks away, on 36th Street and Madison Avenue. (A day pass to the gym usually costs $25.) This is a bit of a letdown, as other nearby boutique hotels like the Library Hotel and the Hotel Elysee offer free access to the New York Sports Club.

Like at all Kimpton hotels, the 70 Park staff offers kids a welcome pack. The standard rooms are not especially large, but there are also 30 connecting rooms for families, and larger suites are available with two double or queen-size beds (which is less common in New York). But activities for families are limited nearby. To be close to museums or the Central Park Zoo, consider the Essex House instead.

Pets get the royal treatment -- doggie manicures and pedicures, squeaky toys, robes, and a bed are all available. There are no extra fees for bringing a pet -- unlike at many hotels in New York, like the W chain -- but owners are responsible for damage caused by their animal.

My room was spotless, as were the hallways and lobby, where even the fruit bowls were fresh and neatly arranged.

The Silver Leaf Tavern

Downstairs is the Silver Leaf Tavern, an upscale bar and restaurant that is popular with the post-work crowd. Room service is available from the Silver Leaf 24 hours a day, serving menu items like steak frites, grilled jumbo shrimp, an artisanal cheese selection, mesclun salad, fish and chips, and burgers. For breakfast and lunch, the restaurant serves salmon bagels, eggs, and club sandwiches.

Close to the hotel are numerous dining options, especially along Madison Avenue, which runs parallel to Park Avenue, one block west of the hotel.