The Setai Fifth Avenue Rating: 5.0 Pearls

Midtown East, Manhattan, New York City

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The Setai Fifth Avenue

The 214 rooms of The Setai (which sit beneath 184 residential condos) are housed in a modern, 60-story glass tower that was built from the ground up for the hotel's opening in 2010. Soaring above the nearby buildings, the hotel has changed the landscape of its midtown neighborhood in more ways than one, with a monopoly on 5-star luxury in a previously unexciting area.

Hotel lovers will recognize the hotel's name from the famous Setai in Miami, but oddly they only share the name (specifically "the brand," as we were told); the owners and managers of the two hotels are completely separate. Both hotels have a contemporary, sleek design, though unlike the beautiful, Asian-inspired decor of the Miami hotel, its New York counterpart -- while sleek and attractive -- lacks inspiration. It's luxurious, but nothing about the design really stands out.

That said, the long, yellow-lit front desk and a dramatic winding staircase do give the lobby some nice flair. Off the lobby is the big Bar on Fifth, where business associates sip on cocktails and, along with guests, listen to nightly live jazz music. One flight up is restaurateur Michael White's acclaimed Ai Fiori and its accompanying bar, serving cutting-edge Italian fare for three meals a day.

But it's the service that sets a hotel like this apart, and guests are attended to from the moment they walk in. In fact, a personal concierge will call you before you arrive, to see if you need help with things like dinner reservations. Now add a salon and the Auriga spa to the list of offerings, and you've got the makings of one of the top luxury hotels in New York.

View on a Larger Map

This 60-story tower is located on (you guessed it) Fifth Avenue, one of the world's most famous streets, in the heart of Manhattan. During the day, the block is constantly busy with pedestrians and a steady stream of cars, but come nightfall the immediate area is fairly desolate (the lack of bars or restaurants nearby leads to a drop off in foot traffic). Yet the Setai Fifth Avenue is incredibly convenient for tourists: Several of New York's biggest sites and shopping areas are within walking distance, and 15 subway lines are just blocks away.

Nearby are the Empire State Building, the Fifth Avenue shopping district, Times Square and the Theater District, and Bryant Park and the New York Public Library. Other attractions within walking distance include Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building, and the UN building.

• Within 6 blocks of 15 subway lines: the 1, 2, 3, N, R, Q and 7 at Times Square, the 4, 5, 6, 7 and S at Grand Central Station, and B, D, F, M and 7 at Bryant Park.
• 4-minute walk to the Empire State Building
• 8-minute walk to Times Square
• 8-minute walk to Grand Central Station
• 13-minute walk to Rockefeller Center
• 20-minute walk to the Museum of Modern Art
• 15 minutes by subway to SoHo neighborhood
• 25 minutes by subway to Wall Street
• 25-minute drive to LaGuardia Airport
• 40-minute drive to John F. Kennedy Airport
• 40-minute drive to Newark Airport

Studio Suite

The large rooms and suites at the Setai Fifth Avenue, which start at 400 square feet, all have king beds and the same top-notch amenities, including iPod docks, TVs in the bathrooms, and luxury linens and bedding. The beautiful, spacious bathrooms all have tubs and separate showers with rain showerheads. However, the sparse decoration (the bare walls could use some art) are a bit of a letdown.

All rooms include:

• Duxania king bed
• Pratesi linens
• Beautiful bathroom with separate tub and shower with rain showerhead; Grohe fixtures; and high-end Italian bath products
• Turkish towels and Madison Collection robes
• Minibar
• Espresso maker and free espresso beans
• Lorenzo Villoresi Firenze for Botega toiletries
• 52-inch flat-screen TV
• iPod dock
• DVD player
• 19-inch TV embedded into bathroom mirror
• Free Wi-Fi
• Twice-daily maid service and turndown service
• Free newspaper delivery
• Free Wi-Fi

Room types:

• Standard: 400 square feet; king bed
• Superior: 450 square feet; king bed
• Deluxe: 575 square feet; king bed
• Deluxe terrace: 575 square feet; king bed; private outdoor terrace
• Premier: 700-850 square feet; king bed
• Premier Avenue: 760 square feet; king bed
• Studio Suites: 825 square feet; king bed; separate living area
• Terrace Studio Suite: 800 square feet; king bed; separate living area; private balcony
• Deluxe Apartment Suites: 925 square feet; king bed; separate kitchen, dining and living areas; free pressing service on the first night
• Avenue Apartment Suites: 1,100 square feet; king bed; separate kitchen, dining and living areas; free pressing service on the first night
• Penthouse Apartments: 1,900 square feet; two bedrooms with king beds; two full bathrooms; one half bath; separate kitchen, dining and living areas; free pressing service on the first night

The fitness center

• The spa, Auriga New York, has 11 treatment rooms, an ice cave, a Jacuzzi, a sauna, a steam room, and a hammam. Open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• 24-hour fitness center. Guests can also request private yoga or reiki lessons ($100), or take a group class (group classes happen Mondays at 6 p.m. and Thursdays at 6:15 a.m.; $25).
• Julien Farel Salon offers hair, makeup and nail service. Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
• In-room massage service
• 24-hour business center with free access to computers, fax machines, printers and scanners
• A large event space that can be divided into three independent meeting rooms, and a conference room with AV equipment and wireless Internet access
• Each guest will receive a call from a personal concierge before arriving at the hotel to ask if you need help with dinner reservations or any other basics for your stay
• Babysitting services

Ai Fiori

• Ai Fiori is an acclaimed French-Italian restaurant from chef Michael White, serving cutting-edge dishes like slow-poached egg with lobster and sweetbreads. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, and breakfast, brunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. Guests can also choose to sit at the bar, which is just outside the restaurant.
• Bar on Fifth is a big, fairly low-key bar with a fireplace that attracts mostly corporate types. Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 1 a.m, with live jazz 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The bar has an all-day light menu and a full menu of cocktails.
• 24-hour in-room dining