Hyatt 48 Lex Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Midtown East, Manhattan, New York City

The Hyatt’s location on Lexington Avenue and 48th Street makes it a popular pick for business travelers who want to be near the corporate offices in Midtown East. The great upper-floor views, in-room spa services, and kitchenettes may also appeal to couples.

The vibe here manages to be both upscale and relaxed, and curbside staff are assigned to greet guests and show them to their rooms upon arrival. The lobby is small, but the posh second floor lounge has a bar and wait staff, as well as free snacks and unlimited coffee drinks from a cappuccino/espresso machine. In the mornings free pastries are served here, and in the evenings cheeses and hors d'oeuvres are offered.

The hotel restaurant, Lexington Brass, is located next to the lobby. It serves traditional American food and is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks. A wall of windows that wraps around the restaurant makes the space feel bright and airy, while also providing a good opportunity for people watching.

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The appropriately named Hyatt 48 Lex is situated on the corner of 48th Street and Lexington Avenue in Midtown East. This locale offers excellent views from the hotel’s corner rooms, where guests can see both streets stretching off into the distance. This particular block has a constant flow of street traffic, making it a convenient spot to hail a taxi.

There are plenty of delis and cafes around here, and the shopping district on Fifth Avenue is about an eight-minute walk to the west. The surrounding area is best known for popular tourist attractions such as Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, the Museum of Modern Art, and the New York Public Library (all are within walking distance).

This skyscraper-filled neighborhood is where many New Yorkers come to work, and its population booms from about 40,000 at night to 200,000 during the day. Iconic buildings such as Rockefeller Center and the Chrysler Building are here, as well as big-name hotels like the InterContinental and Waldorf-Astoria. Many local businesses close when workers go home, so the nightlife is not New York’s best.

• 3 short blocks from the 6 subway line; 5 short blocks from the E and M lines; 6 blocks from the 4, 5, 6, and 7 lines at Grand Central Station (a major transportation hub)
• 10-minute walk to Rockefeller Center, home to the Top of the Rock observation deck (for a panoramic view of the entire city)
• 10-minute walk to the Museum of Modern Art (the "MoMA")
• 20-minute subway ride to Central Park
• 20-minute subway ride to Times Square
• 20-minute subway ride to the Empire State Building
• 25-minute subway ride to the ferry terminal to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• 25-minute subway ride to the American Museum of Natural History
• 25-minute subway ride to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the "Met")

New York has three nearby airports: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark (in New Jersey). Getting to town from JFK or LaGuardia is usually more convenient than getting there 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 like Super Shuttle that are available at all three airports for about $14 per person. 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 Hyatt's 116 rooms are slightly larger than average for New York (they start at 289 square feet) and have high-end contemporary decor in shades of gray and cream. They all have unique local artwork, kitchenettes, and large windows that face either Lexington Avenue or 48th Street. The sleek bathrooms come with big walk-in showers (but no tubs).

The minibars are impressive, and have 10 varieties of wine selected by the hotel's sommelier. These half-size bottles vary in cost and change seasonally. Other items include beer, champagne, and Dean & Deluca snacks.

Most rooms have one king- or queen-size bed and are designed to sleep a maximum of two people, but there are two rooms that have two beds; a few have pull-out couches. The rooms on the fourth floor have terraces, and the Corner Suites have separate bedrooms with walls of windows that overlook the intersection below. The most impressive (and costly) rooms are the two Penthouse Suites, which together take up the entire 23rd floor. These suites have big bathrooms, better equipped kitchenettes, separate bedrooms, and sprawling rooftop patios (which can be merged for floor-wide, dual-penthouse parties).

• Kitchenettes with coffeemakers, stocked minibars, dishwashers, glasses, and microwaves
• Fee for Wi-Fi (free for Hyatt loyalty members)
• iPod docks
• Large flat-screen TVs with multimedia hook-ups
• Sleek bathrooms with walk-in showers, robes, and small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel
• Large windows can be cracked to let in fresh air
• Standard rooms come with one King or Queen bed (Studio King, Studio Queen)
• ADA Double Shower Room comes with two queen-size beds; the Premier Double Room comes with two double-size beds.
• Rooms with pull-out couches available
• Rooms with terraces available (Terrace Studio or Penthouse Suite)

A spacious fitness center is open around the clock in the hotel basement. The facilities are split between two different rooms -- a Strength Room for weight training, and a Cardio Room for everything else.

The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art Life Fitness cardio machines, inflatable exercise balls, and individual TV screens.

• Elliptical machines
• Treadmills
• Cycling machine
• Weight training equipment and free weights
• Inflatable exercise balls, yoga mats, and resistance cords
• Free towels, magazines, and water
• Individual TVs on select cardio machines, plus communal TVs
• Free headphones

This Hyatt was primarily designed for individual travelers and couples, though a few rooms have two beds or pull-out sofas. These rooms are popular and tend to fill up quickly. Rollaway beds can be requested for some rooms, and cribs and baby items, such as diapers and formula, are also available upon request.

Aside from a selection of board games available at the front desk, the hotel doesn’t offer much entertainment for children. The Lexington Brass restaurant has a kids' menu that’s also available for room service.

The trendy Lexington Brass bistro serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a weekend bunch. The cuisine is primarily upscale American bar food, such as truffle French fries, tuna burgers, and macaroni and cheese. Meals are on the pricey side, costing around $20 for a lunch entree.

Guests can order food off Lexington Brass' room service menu from early morning to late night. The restaurant also provides catering for hotel meetings and events. In the evenings, free cheeses and snacks are served in the second floor lounge.

A bar in the second floor lounge serves cocktails, beer, and a seasonal selection of wines. Decent coffee drinks are available free of charge from a self-serve cappuccino/espresso machine.

More wine, beer, and pricey designer cocktails are available at the bar inside Lexington Brass. The atmosphere here is more lively than in the lounge, and sports fans might be able to catch a game on the bar TVs.

• A 24-hour lounge with free snacks and drinks
• Wi-Fi and wired Internet is available in room for a fee
• 24-hour computer station with one iMac computer and printer
• Valet parking available for a fee
• Off-site laundry service available
• Daily newspaper delivery
• Room service from the Lexington Brass kitchen
• In-room spa treatments available
• Concierge service
• Greeters to help guests to their rooms

The Hyatt has four high-tech, stylish boardrooms, plus catering services from the hotel restaurant. The rooms have fireplaces, hardwood floors, and large screens for presentations. Each room can fit eight to 12 people, and three of the meeting spaces can be combined to accommodate larger groups.

• High-tech audiovisual equipment for presentations
• On-site support staff
• Video conferencing in select rooms
• Catering by Lexington Brass
• Flat-screen TVs
• Breakable boardroom tables
• Wireless controls for multimedia, lighting, and drapes

The Hyatt’s second-floor lounge and meeting rooms are available for rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, and other small to mid-sized wedding events. Couples can also book adjoining Penthouse Suites on the top floor of the hotel for an intimate, rooftop reception overlooking the city. For events with more than 90 guests, a full buy-out of the restaurant is possible.

Lexington Brass provides catering for all events in the hotel.

The opened in 2011 and there are no major renovations on the horizon.

The hotel offers 13 handicap-accessible rooms, including a Penthouse Suite. Rooms are equipped with wheelchair accessible doors, peepholes, closet poles, towel racks, sinks, mirrors, and climate controls. Guests can choose between an ADA Queen Bedroom (one queen-sized bed) and an ADA Double Bedroom (two double beds).

• Roll-in showers
• Bathtub bench and grab rails
• Fire alarm system including emergency strobe light and strobe-light smoke detector
• Audio/visual smoke detectors
• Cordless phone
• Closed-caption television
• Lowered closet shelves
• Lowered thermostat and light switches
• Lowered entryway features, including peephole and door latch
• Lowered bathroom features, including door handle, towel hooks, and towel rack
• Wide bathroom doors
• Bathroom grab bars
• Raised toilet seat
• Portable commode available