Affinia Gardens Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York City

The lobby

Owned and operated by the Denihan Hospitality Group, which also owns the Benjamin and the James, Affinia is a small chain of midsize luxury hotels based mostly in New York. Unlike, say, the Dumont, Affinia's "fitness and wellness" branch, the 129-room Gardens doesn't really have a theme. According to the website, the hotel is a "tranquil retreat" with a "gentle ambiance," as characterized by its trademark "Serenity Lounge." In reality, there's nothing particularly tranquil or gentle about the Gardens' vibe -- no soothing music, for instance, or spa services -- and the Serenity Lounge is basically just a mood-lit room off the lobby that serves tea 24 hours a day.

That is not to say that the Affinia, formerly the Lyden Gardens, doesn't have its charms. The lobby is a pleasant place to rest your sightseeing-weary feet, and the amiable bellmen don light-gray fedoras, a nod to the Denihan Group's Depression-era founder, Benjamin J. "Bud" Denihan, who supposedly greeted everyone he met with a tip of his hat (and whose affinity for his fellow man inspired Affinia's name). The monthly "Tranquil Hour" in the Serenity Lounge includes wine and hors d'oeuvres. Other fun touches add to the whimsy, like the rubber duckies that are available for purchase, or the notepads on the room desks that say, "Names. Numbers. Clues."

The hotel's defining feature is probably its backyard garden (hence its name). Unfortunately I wasn't able to see it -- and you won't either, unless you spring for a Deluxe Room with a patio (more in Rooms, below). If you've stayed in one of the garden rooms, please let us know how it was.

According to management, about 40 percent of the guests choose the Gardens because of its proximity to two nearby hospitals, the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Patients and their family members can receive personalized service from the staff as well as house calls -- or, rather, hotel calls -- from doctors.

Guest service at the front desk

The Affinia chain's signature feature is its My Affinia Concierge, a program it launched in 2008 that allows guests to request special items and state room preferences on the hotel's website. Prior to my visit, I logged in to the My Affinia profile, which I'd created for my stay at the Dumont, and selected an "experience kit" (the NYC walking tour kit) and several "dream pillows." When I got to my room, however, they weren't there -- apparently you need to make your selections at least 24 hours before checking in. I called the front desk to have them delivered. An hour later the package arrived -- with one pillow and half the kit's contents missing. So much for my "Sound Pillow."

The bellmen will help with your bags and flag down a taxi, but you're on your own to open doors and the like.

The room service was as impressive as the My Affinia service was disappointing. It's available 24 hours a day from four local restaurants. My made-to-order seared tuna from Accademia di Vino came in 15 minutes, still hot. The next morning, my room-service breakfast, courtesy of the Affinia, arrived right on time. For a small service fee, the staff can also do your grocery shopping for you -- just give them a list, and they head to the Food Emporium a block away.

Finally, the Affinia offers a range of services to those who are staying there to be near the two major hospitals in the area. The My Recovery program provides customized shopping, secretarial services, and help with locomotion. And because of the hotel's relationship with the hospitals, especially the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, many doctors are happy to cross the street to make "suite calls."

View on a Larger Map

Many guests choose the Affinia because of its proximity to two major hospitals: the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, which is right across the street, and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, about a third of a mile northeast.

As far as attractions go, there isn't much within walking distance, which is rare for New York. The famous shopping along Madison and Fifth avenues -- Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Jimmy Choo, and on and on -- is four to five long blocks west. Once you hit Fifth, you're at Central Park, the second reason to tour the Upper East Side.

The third reason? The museums. The stretch of Fifth Avenue that runs north from the low 80s to 104th Street, known as “Museum Mile,” is home to a number of world-renowned museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (“The Met”) and the Guggenheim.

Generally speaking, the Upper East is isolated a bit by the fact that only one major subway line (the 4/5/6) runs through it. In the lower 60s, however, where the Affinia is, there are stations for other major lines -- the N/R/W and the F, both of which are within five blocks of the hotel.

New York City has three nearby airports: JFK, LaGuardia, 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 Junior Suite

As a former apartment complex -- a tres pricey apartment complex, to be sure -- the Affinia boasts enormous rooms. Even the Studio Suite that I had, the most basic room type, is large by New York standards -- 400 to 600 square feet. The 450- to 650-square-foot one-bedrooms are slightly larger. As this guest says, "It's like borrowing an upscale NYC apartment for the weekend."

Taking into account the various combinations involving suite size and options like terraces and patios, there are a number of different room types. But with the exception of three two-bedroom suites, there are really just two basic options at the Gardens: studio suites and one-bedroom suites.

All suites include a fully stocked kitchen, though mine was really more of a kitchenette. It was large enough for one person at a time to cook or wash or make coffee (Affinia's own organic Allegro brand, which was pretty good). The kitchens include a fridge, a stove, a microwave, and cabinets, plus pots, pans, and silverware -- basically, everything you need unless you plan to move in.

The rooms also sport a decent array of features, from an ergonomic chair and sturdy desk to a comfy stuffed leather chair, lighted vanity mirror, and full-size dresser. Complimentary "Affinia Dream Pillows" and "experience kits" are also available by request. (For more on those, see Features, below.)

The beds feature four-year-old Dynasty 220 brand mattresses and Downright brand pillows (80 percent feathers, 20 percent goose down). Mine was comfortable, if not quite up there with the ones I've seen at other luxury hotels.

The bathrooms are modestly sized but clean and classy, with Sobel Westex 100 percent cotton towels and shaving mirrors and excellent water pressure in the showers. The highlight, at least for me, was the rosemary-mint-scented Aveda shampoo and conditioner, which left my (small amount of) hair smelling minty fresh.

The only real disappointments in the rooms concern the technology, which doesn't meet the bar set by the other rooms' other appointments. The Wi-Fi connection is frustratingly slow, and the rooms have alarm clock radio/CD players rather than iPod docks. The TVs, 32-inch standard-tube Zeniths, show about 60 channels of basic cable. Also, though the website claims all the rooms have minibars, mine did not.

The gym

One of the Affinia's hallmarks is that your experience begins before you even arrive. Through the website you can customize your stay by requesting certain amenities ahead of time, which, while not entirely necessary (you can always just ask at the front desk when you arrive), is entirely fun.

All sorts of "kits" are available for your customizing pleasure, some (the Ibanez guitar) more gratuitous than others (nail-polish remover, universal laptop charger). I ordered a few of the complimentary items: the city walking tour kit -- an iPod-loaded walking tour, guidebook, map, and pedometer -- and two "dream pillows" -- the Sound Pillow ("ultra-thin speakers connect to your MP3 player for a soothing sound experience") and the Buckwheat Pillow ("whole-grain goodness"). Unfortunately the Sound Pillow never arrived, and the tour kit came without an iPod or map.

Because of the recession, the weekly Tuesday "Tranquil Hour" in the Serenity Lounge off the lobby is now monthly. Be sure to call ahead if you want to be in town for that.

The gym is small -- probably about the size of your bedroom -- but at least the equipment is nice. There are four modern cardio machines (two treadmills, a bike, and an elliptical), each with a personal TV screen, and there's also a set of free weights, and a multipurpose strength-training machine.

The Wi-Fi is reliable but frustratingly slow and costs an extra $14 a day. Access to the computer in the tiny business center next to the lobby is also overpriced -- $7 for 15 minutes, $11 for 30, $18 for an hour. All told, you're better off just trying to mooch Wi-Fi off one of the many nearby unsecured signals.

The one- and two-bedroom suites include pullout sofas. If you're in a studio suite, rollaway beds are available for $30 a night. Cribs, high chairs, and playpens are all free.

For longer stays, families often opt for deluxe suites, which are about $40 more, because they include patios and dining room tables. You can save a lot of money by buying your food at one of the two grocery stores within a block of the hotel and using the kitchen to cook your own meals.

The Affinia is also within easy walking distance of several kid-friendly attractions, including the Central Park Zoo, Dylan's Candy Bar, and the famous dessert restaurant Serendipity 3 (try their legendary frozen hot chocolate!). There's also a cute little playground about three blocks away.

The carpet in my room was showing its age -- visible stains, loose threads -- but nothing major anywhere; everything was functional and hygienic.

Tea provided for guests

The Affinia compensates for its lack of an on-site restaurant by outsourcing its dining to four local restaurants: Accademia di Vino, an upscale Italian restaurant;China Fun, a standard-issue Chinese place; Jackson Hole, a well-regarded NYC burger chain; and the Silver Star diner. My made-to-order seared tuna from Accademia arrived in 15 minutes, and it was delicious. With an appetizer and dessert thrown in, plus the delivery charge and tax, the damage came to $65. Not cheap.

On the other end of the price spectrum was the shockingly cheap room-service breakfast the Affinia offers: a piece of fruit, a pastry or muffin, yogurt or cereal (with milk), a granola bar, coffee, tea, and juice -- all for $10. Without a doubt the best room-service deal I've ever encountered.

If you do head off-campus -- and you should -- there are dozens of world-class restaurants elsewhere on the Upper East Side. Click here for more information.