This New York hotel is the antidote to Manhattan’s chaos
New York hotel The Langham brings understated luxury and a sense of calm to the city famously designed as a playground
There’s nothing subtle about Midtown Manhattan. This is the epicentre of the New York we all know from the movies, even if you’ve never set foot in the US.
There are honking cabs, street carts selling hot dogs, plumes of steam rising through the pavement from subway stations and neck-craning skyscrapers blocking out the sun. Famous sights loom around every corner, from the iconic Empire State Building to the flashing neon of Times Square and the leafy expanse of Central Park.
It’s every bit as full-on, noisy and overwhelming as you’d expect, yet somehow even better than you might hope.
New York Hotels: Where to stay
The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue is the antidote to it all. Almost hidden behind a discreet entrance on Fifth Avenue, it’s luxurious but understated, unlike many of its flashier Midtown neighbours. The lobby is sleek, painted in shades of cream and grey with sculptural lights, soaring ceilings, wood panelling and two colourful paintings by Brooklyn-born artist Alex Katz, part of a $2 million collection of his work throughout the hotel.
In a city known for teeny hotel rooms, The Langham’s are huge. Some one-bedroom suites have full kitchens and washing machines, making them popular with long-term guests – but even standard rooms have smart walnut accents, floor-to-ceiling windows and large marble bathrooms with Diptyque smellies.
If you can, try to bag either a room with Empire State views or one with access to The Langham Club, which serves an impressive selection of food and free-flowing champagne (plus some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve tasted). Elsewhere, there’s a hi-tech gym and in-room spa treatments using Korean skincare.
New York hotel food: what to eat
If you’re frazzled from sightseeing and shopping, pop down to the second floor of The Langham for refined French and Italian dishes at upmarket Al Fiori.
You can’t come to New York without eating pizza and John’s Pizzeria is within walking distance, just off Times Square. It serves coal-fired pizzas in a former church with a soaring stained-glass ceiling and a lively bar.
For something a little swankier, splurge on dinner with Manhattan’s finest at Lex Yard, a beautiful Art Deco restaurant inside the newly refurbished Waldorf Astoria New York. Run by Michael Anthony of the city’s Michelin-starred Gramercy Tavern, its menu includes heaving seafood platters, Atlantic jumbo bass and a stacked-high Lex Burger with beef fat fries.
What to do in Manhattan
If you want to hit the city’s major tourist attractions, you couldn’t be in a better spot. Pick up a CityPASS so you can zip through several but save money on individual entrance fees. The Empire State Building’s Observation Deck is the best place to start for panoramic views over Manhattan and across to Brooklyn and New Jersey.
Entrance to the Guggenheim Museum, the Statue of Liberty grounds and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum are amongst the other attractions covered.
Return visitors looking for something a little less obvious might prefer scaling the 154 interconnecting flights of stairs that weave within Vessel, architect Thomas Heatherwick’s 150ft bronze sculpture at Hudson Yards. Alternatively, visit the Museum of Broadway, which tells the story of the world-famous theatre district, or learn more about the way immigration has shaped the city at the fascinating Tenement Museum.
Other things to do
Rooms at The Langham on Fifth Avenue start from $1,095 per night. Book at langhamhotels.com. CityPASS tickets start from $89. Book at citypass.com. For more information on New York hotels and things to do, visit nyctourism.com.