Andaz 5th Avenue, by Hyatt4

The Andaz 5th Avenue, by Hyatt offers a rare Manhattan combination of extraordinary spaciousness and a perfect location right across from the New York Public Library. Guests rave about the exceptionally generous rooms with high ceilings, superb shower stalls, and thoughtful complimentary perks like lobby drinks and daily restocking of the non-alcoholic minibar. Lately, however, the hotel has faced a wave of criticism over slipping service standards, an unpleasant sewage odor on the ground floor, and a highly controversial decision to move breakfast from the former bright restaurant to a gloomy basement bar.

Key Observations

Exceptional spaciousness: Rooms and bathrooms are startlingly large by New York standards, and the towering ceiling height creates an airy, open feel that’s hard to find in other city hotels.

Sewage smell in the lobby: Reviews from late 2025 and early 2026 regularly report a sharp, unpleasant odor in the lobby, hallways, and elevators, seriously marring the first impression at check-in.

Disastrous breakfast relocation: The closure of the popular ground-floor restaurant and the move of à la carte breakfast to a dark basement space unleashed a flood of disappointment among regulars, who dub the new venue “a gloomy dungeon.”

Overdesigned doors: The layout of some bathrooms, with three or four parallel sliding doors and no locks, strikes guests as impractical and an overreach on the designer’s part.

Trajectory: Steadily declining. While the hotel used to garner nearly uniformly glowing reviews for impeccable service, complaints have lately multiplied about management’s indifference to technical glitches and poor dusting on high cabinet surfaces.

Main Pros

• A flawless location in the heart of Midtown, steps from Bryant Park and Grand Central Terminal.
• Impressive room sizes and very high ceilings, atypical for New York hotels.
• Excellent bathrooms with superb shower pressure and quality Eleven’s Hour toiletries.
• Complimentary non-alcoholic minibar and daily lobby treats (morning coffee, evening wine or apple cider).
• Stunning views of Fifth Avenue and the library building from City View rooms.

Main Cons

• Periodic strong musty and sewage odor in the central lobby and near elevators.
• Breakfast served in a basement with no natural light, instead of a proper airy restaurant.
• Impractical bathroom door design, no locks, and water spray from the shower due to partial enclosure.
• High mandatory Destination Fee of $40 per night, delivering little tangible value.
• Instances of staff negligence (including complaints of missing personal items during room moves and poor dusting).

Overall Grade: B

Hotel Overview

Basic Information:

• Name — Andaz 5th Avenue, by Hyatt
• Address — 485 5th Ave, New York, NY 10017, USA
• Contact details — +1 212-601-1234
• Year opened — 2010
• Number of rooms — 184
• Positioning and category — premium boutique hotel, 4 stars

Description: The hotel is designed in a contemporary urban loft concept with an art-gallery feel instead of a traditional lobby – there’s no front desk, and guests are welcomed at separate islands with a welcome drink. Stylish rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of light, and the complimentary minibar is restocked daily with snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

Target Audience: Ideal for couples, business travelers, and fans of minimalist loft design who want to be at the very center of Manhattan’s cultural life. Due to the particular bathroom layout, the hotel may be less convenient for families with children or groups of friends.

Location & Transport

Location: The hotel sits in one of Manhattan’s best spots on the corner of 41st Street and Fifth Avenue, directly opposite the New York Public Library. The neighborhood is safe, lively, and supremely convenient for any tourist purpose. On the downside, street noise is high – light sleepers may need earplugs.

Key Points of Interest: Bryant Park is literally across the street, Times Square a 10-minute walk, the Belasco Theatre also 10 minutes. An excellent Japanese supermarket is right across from the hotel. Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station are within walking distance.

Transport: Grand Central–42nd Street and 5th Avenue–Bryant Park subway stations are a two- to three-minute walk away. Taxis are easy to hail right at the door, or you can park at the hotel entrance during permitted hours.

Walkability: Perfect pedestrian zone with wide sidewalks. Safe even after dark thanks to the constant stream of people and the proximity of the park.

Grade: A+

Rooms & Cleanliness

Rooms impress with their towering ceilings and stylish zoning. Bed linen is premium quality, and most guests describe the beds as very comfortable (though some found the mattresses overly soft). Overall cleanliness in the rooms is good, but the high ceilings create a dusting challenge: guests often notice thick layers of dust on the top surfaces of wardrobes and ventilation grilles. The major flaw is the overly complicated bathroom door system, which requires closing multiple panels at once.

Grade: B

Service

Staff attitudes draw polarizing feedback. Some guests praise the front desk (especially Isaac, Sasha, and Elaine) for their hospitality, smooth early check-in, and complimentary room upgrades. However, when unusual situations arise – such as clothing going missing during a room move or technical problems with the air conditioning – management proves slow and indifferent, shifting responsibility onto guests.

Grade: B-

Dining

The erstwhile Andaz restaurant on the ground floor was renowned for excellent cuisine and a bright atmosphere. After its closure, à la carte breakfasts (including the signature oatmeal and hot dishes) were relocated to the semi-basement bar. This move makes morning meals uninviting due to dim lighting and no windows. Food quality remains decent, but prices are inflated (e.g., oatmeal with in-room service runs nearly $50). Guests deeply appreciate the complimentary morning coffee and evening wine in the lobby.

Grade: B-

Facilities & Amenities

The hotel offers a standard but fairly limited set of amenities. A small fitness center is equipped with modern machines but fills up quickly at peak times. There is no spa. Free Wi-Fi works well. Automated curtains operated by remote control are a nice touch, though they sometimes malfunction. The main source of pride is the stylish, albeit dark, cocktail bar on the lower level.

Grade: B

Important Notes

• A mandatory Destination Fee of $40 per night is charged, covering questionable services like online newspapers.
• High street noise penetrates the premium rooms facing Fifth Avenue, so earplugs are a must.
• On lower floors (especially the 3rd), corridor layouts can be exhausting – sometimes reaching your room requires switching between two elevators.

Practical Tips for Guests

• Bring a shower filter attachment if you have sensitive skin.
• When booking, try to pay extra for a Loft Suite or City View Deluxe room with a library view – they vastly outperform standard rooms in comfort.
• Don’t count on solid closing bathroom doors: if traveling with friends or children, the WC layout can cause awkwardness.
• Skip the pricey classic breakfast in the hotel’s basement and head to the Japanese supermarket across the street or the many cafés near Bryant Park.
• Take advantage of the free evening hour in the lobby – they serve excellent wine and hot apple cider.
• Check wardrobes carefully at checkout and request confirmation from staff that your belongings are secure when switching rooms.

Final Verdict

The Andaz 5th Avenue wins you over with the city’s best location and huge rooms for loft-aesthetic aficionados, but management urgently needs to improve cleaning and fix the technical issues.

Overall Grade: B

Breakdown: Location: A+ | Rooms: B | Service: B- | Dining: B- | Facilities: B | Value for Money: B-

Best for: lovers of spacious modern interiors, tourists with a Midtown itinerary, Hyatt loyalty program members (using points), couples without children.

Not for: those expecting classic five-star service with no hidden fees, families needing full privacy in rooms, light sleepers, and anyone intolerant of musty lobby odors.