City Club Hotel

Rooms

City Club might be billed as a small luxury hotel, but there’s no scrimping on space where it matters. Both bathrooms and bedrooms are generous by New York standards, and gadgetry abounds.

Luxurious Honduran woods, library-esque wall-mounted lamps and hand-combed plaster wallpaper create a tactile mix of cosy creams and chocolate browns. It's a subtle, classy kind of stylishness, not an ultra-modern, in-your-face one. Frette linens tempt you to bed, Dean & DeLuca goodies to the minibar, and C.O Bigelow toiletries to your Italian-marble rain shower.

But don’t be fooled by the appointments. Designer Jeffrey Bilhuber has made every effort to make this a home from home, thoughtfully concealing abominable hotel appliances (minibar, travel iron, safe box) in the wardrobe, and adding iPod docks, clock radios and comfy bathrobes (but sadly no tea-making facilities). There's more than a hint of old-meets-new-world, too: framed discs, antique books and - most delightful of all, in most rooms - a comfy, cushion-strewn daybed that begs you to curl up with a book by your Dickensian lead-paned window.

Petite Rooms are not as small as you might think (195 sq.ft.), but all overlook the internal lightwell. Queen Luxe Rooms (most with the same lack of view) are 50% bigger. The King Luxe Rooms are not only bigger again (365 sq.ft.) but also much brighter and airier; some have city views and bathtubs. If you want a guaranteed view of the street rather than a brick wall, choose a Luxe Double Double Room with 2 double beds, or one of the 3 spiral-staircased Grand Duplex Suites. With their 20ft-high corniced ceilings and doors opening onto small terraces, the latter are particularly wonderful - and can be joined together if you're coming as a small group and want the very best.

All in all we felt the rooms were comfortable, and understated but not under-designed; our only gripes were the minimal wardrobe space, occasional noise from the street and corridor, and the overall darkness of the inward-facing rooms.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Minibar/fridge
• WiFi

Eating

As you enter DB Bistro Moderne from the lobby, the first thing you’ll notice is the throng of people (book ahead to be sure of a table); the second, that there's no bar. A floor-to-ceiling wine display stands where you’d imagine one to be, with a pair of high tables opposite making up the drinks area - neatly sandwiched between the restaurant’s 2 dining rooms. If you’re in the mood for something fun, eat street-side, where flamboyant flower prints match the lipstick-red walls. The back room is furnished with starched-tablecloth sophistication - striped banquettes, Stephen McKay chandeliers and a mirrored backdrop.

Once the menu makes an appearance, you realise design is not the focus here. French/American may not sound like a convivial culinary coupling, but the bestselling foie gras and black truffle burger stands testament to chef Daniel Boulud’s acclaimed fusions. If you find this a tad fussy, stick to French classics like the sautéed lemon sole, coq au vin or duck confit. The restaurant also provides a room service menu for those who don't want to venture beyond the comfort of their daybed.

Breakfast (not included in room rates) is a similar story - the home-baked brioche will transport you to France, the baked madeleines to heaven; only the eggs left us unmoved.

For a lighter bite, skip DB's opulence in favour of Japanese fare at nearby Koi, go Greek at Kellari, or hit the Red Flame Diner a few doors down for the quintessential New York diner experience.

Features include:

• Children's meals
• Minibar/fridge
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Staying at City Club, you’re likely to taxi through Times Square at least once. To get to the heart of the place, drop into the Times Square Visitors' Centre at 1560 Broadway
  
  
• Whether you love or hate visiting cathedrals, St Patrick’s is as dramatic as they come, and definitely worth a look
  
  
• Venturing upwards to view the world’s most famous skyline is obligatory in New York. The Empire State Building has a cramped viewing platform compared to the Rockefeller Centre. At Christmas the Rockefeller tree is a must
  
  
• Add a soupçon of glamour to your stay by sampling the oysters at Grand Central Terminal - and soak up the majesty of one of the world’s most famous stations on your way out
  
  
• Art lovers won’t know where to start at The Metropolitan Museum, where classical and modern art are housed with enough artefacts to keep you wandering around for days
  
  
• If that's not enough, head to MoMA where, amid gasps of delight and the unsanctioned snapping of cameras, visitors come face to face with world-famous works from the likes of Picasso and Warhol
  
  
• You can request a yoga instructor to come to the hotel, or you can take part in a class nearby - either can be arranged through the concierge

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Nightlife
• Shopping / markets
• Yoga

Kids

Children are welcome and this is a great central location for them. There are baby cots and extra beds, babysitting and large suites perfect for families.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Grand Duplex Suites (sleeping 4) are great for families, with 1.5 bathrooms and flat-screen TVs on both floors. All 3 suites can join together to sleep 12

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 45 minutes
• Hospital: 10-15 minutes
• Grocery store: 5 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

City Club Hotel is situated on the north side of 44th Street, in the centre of Midtown, Manhattan. It's between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, 2 blocks east of Times Square, 2 blocks west of Grand Central Station, and 11 blocks northeast of Penn Station.

By Air
Fly to New York JFK (27km away), New York La Guardia (16km away) or Newark (27km away). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
It takes 30-45 minutes to reach the hotel by cab from JFK and La Guardia, and around an hour from Newark. Travelling by public transport takes a little longer. All airport (yellow) taxis have set tolls from the airports to Manhattan. Click on the links below to see the best ways of getting into town from the airports.

By Public Transport
The nearest subway stop is 42nd Street, on the B, D, F and V lines, which is 2 blocks away.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

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