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Thursday, October 17, 2013

Hotel Giraffe- off Park Avenue South (Flatiron)

This is a newer place that gets excellent reviews overall ( usual sour apple or two)

My guess is this falls in the"trendy" category too

Says it has rooftop restaurant...also bar at corner

I assume pricey ( what $$$ in Yelp language means I think)

Hotel Giraffe

4.0 star rating
79 reviews Rating Details
Category: Hotels  [Edit]
365 Park Ave S
(between 26th St & 27th St)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhood: Flatiron
(212) 685-7700
Nearest Transit Station:
28 St. (4, 6, 6X)
23 St. (4, 6, 6X)
23 St. (N, R)
Price Range:
$$$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Wi-Fi:
Free

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79 reviews in English

  • Review from

    Alexandria, VA
    9/3/2013 1 check-in here
    I refuse to stay anywhere else but here.  Next time I go back up to NYC, this is going to be my home away from home.  I initially only planned on a one night stay (Fri-Sat) and was going to stay with a friend for the rest of my long Labor Day weekend, but I loved the hotel so much I ended up booking a night from Mon-Tue.

    Let me give you a list of reasons as to why you should stay here, and go nowhere else.

    1) Service: EVERYONE was friendly, professional, helpful, and just generally awesome.  Since I was checking in so late on a friday night (closer to 11 pm), I was going to miss out on room service, and would be too tired to go out to a restaurant (restaurant in hotel closed at 11). I'd emailed for a list of restaurants that would deliver so late, and they (excuse the pun) totally delivered. Within minutes of emailing the request, I got a list of recommendations.

    2) Great location: Flatiron district, lots of places to eat/hang out within walking distance, and close to public transpo.

    3) Low key hotel - no tacky in your face bling -  but really elegantly appointed. The lobby/lounge is small and only for hotel guests, as there's a little snack/food bar for guests to partake. Free continental breakfasts (pastries, bagels, fruit, cereal AND boiled eggs. YES!, plus kickass coffee machine, milk, yogurts and juices.  In the evenings, there is a wine and cheese reception, and then cookies and snacks available 24/7. May I recommend that you eat all the cookies and drink all the coffee? I tried.)

    4) Sweet Swanky Suite: Sell you first born child and book one, I don't care. It's worth it. Spacious, with a teeeeeny balcony with a lovely view - got room 1006, then 1106)  Comfortable couch, large bathroom with good water pressure, and bed of magic. (Request a mattress topper if you like softer beds, as the mattress is a bit firm. Also, ask for all the pillows. All of it.)

    5) Quiet and restful: after a full day of running around the city, it's always awesome to go back to your room, knowing you'll be able to sleep the sleep of the just. Never was bothered by noise, and traffic noises on the upper floor was negligible.

    6) The Roof: I usually took my breakfast of champions (coffee, nicotine, boiled eggs and...more coffee) up on the roof, and a late night (ok, more like 1 or 2 am) relaxing smoke before I turned in. It's quiet, it's gorgeous, and I felt like a million bucks relaxing in such a nicely landscaped/laid out space.  It apparently is open to the public in the evenings as a bar.

    7) Can I reiterate how pleasant and professional the staff is? Consider it reiterated.

    8) FREE WIFI. Free, EXCELLENT wifi.

    In short: Hotel Giraffe is A++ amazing, will stay again. Soon.
  • Review from

    • 15 friends
    • 16 reviews
    Ithaca, NY
    8/3/2013
    This boutique hotel was spacious and comfortable, and an excellent value for what you get. Very clean, very good service, central to everything, and sizable rooms. On-street parking was not difficult to find. You won't be disappointed. There's not much that distinguishes it, though, from other similarly-priced properties in Manhattan.

    One lapse in the service that I expect from a hotel was that we didn't get the upper floor room we requested: apparently it had been given away to another patron because we hadn't arrived early enough, even though we gave notice that we would be arriving around midnight when we made the request.

    Lack of bathrooms in the lobby was another down side.
  • Review from

    • 1 friend
    • 9 reviews
    Culver City, CA
    8/1/2013
    I don't do a lot of 5 star reviews, but this place comes close so I'll round my 4.5 up to 5!

    My wife and I recently stayed here for two nights, and we really didn't want to leave. In fact, I think I might want to live at Hotel Giraffe.

    From the moment we walked in from the 95 degree heat wave, and the crowded streets outside, the hotel felt clean, cool, and relaxed. The people at the front desk, and the doorman, were very friendly and welcoming. They answered questions politely, and offered advice on ways to take advantage of what the hotel has to offer. One such thing is the free wine and cheese tasting. We did not partake, though it was very tempting.

    Our room was very spacious by NY standards. It was also very CLEAN! That's probably the biggest deal right there. My wife and I were both very psyched when we walked in and found the a/c already working. It honestly made the room feel even cleaner because it was so sticky and disgusting outside. I can't stand those wall units that you have to turn on and wait for your room to cool down while they blow the humidity around. Gross. Not the Giraffe. Oh no... that a/c was the best thing ever!

    - I liked the modern, simple (yet warm) decor.
    - Free wifi. Thanks for that.  
    - The TV worked well, and was hassle free.
    - The window opens to a very small balcony, so it didn't feel claustrophobic at all.
    - The bed was really comfortable, and we did notice that we could order special pillows, but we didn't do it. Nice option though!
    - The restaurant below the hotel was nice, and we went there for drinks and appetizers one evening. Cute, and the food was good.
    - The bar upstairs was very chill on the night we met friends there for a drink, but that's what we were in the market for, so great! It looked like it might pop off on occasion, and be really fun place. Nice outdoor seating.
    - We did a quick complimentary breakfast in the lobby before heading out one day, and I thought it was perfect.
    - The checkout time is civilized... 1pm.

    Overall, I would definitely stay at Hotel Giraffe again. While it's certainly not inexpensive, I do think you get what you pay for here. I compared numerous hotels in that price range, and felt satisfied with every aspect of our stay.
  • Review from

    Indianapolis, IN
    10/13/2013
    What a great hotel!  It's in a good location, near a couple of subway stops. Service was so friendly and they gave us a free bottle of wine for our anniversary. The room was clean and came with free bottles of water. And what a great deal with the free wifi, breakfast and evening wine/cheese. Highly recommend.
  • Review from

    • 7 friends
    • 3 reviews
    Sondrio, Italy
    7/28/2013
    My experience at Giraffe Hotel is limited to its rooftop. Cozy and quiet, it represents a perfect spot where to hang out with friends, have a good glass of wine and relax after a stressful day at work without having to wait in line for too long. Service is quick, drinks are average price and the  waitresses are nice. I will definitely go back.
  • Review from

    Cambridge, MA
    3/4/2013 1 check-in here
    Booked this on HotelTonight and was very very pleased by the end result.

    Friendly but professional staff. Snacks, fruit, and coffee / tea available all the time. Sunday I walked in to free wine and cheese and crackers. Free breakfast. Free wifi in rooms. Free passes to the gym down the street.

    That's a lot of "free" for NYC.

    Then there's the rooms. Very big by New York standards, clean, and with comfortable beds and ample space for all your things. Good water pressure.

    I like that Hotel Giraffe cares enough about you to even offer you the little things - for instance, in the closet there was an umbrella I could use had I forgotten one. Overall, loved it.
  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 27 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    5/20/2013
    Stayed in a suite.  It was very lovely.  The bathroom was nicely appointed, the room had excellent light.  I would say that getting a suite was probably a waste.  The living room part was kind of dark.  The staff was excellent, the location is superb (there are lots of great restaurants in the area).  I rarely have reason to stay in a hotel in the city, but I would definitely recommend this.  I think you get more for your money than you do staying someplace more famous (i.e. the Plaza).  They also have cute weekend themed packages that look like an excellent idea..
  • Review from

    Madison, NJ
    1/14/2013 2 check-ins here
    *4.5 Stars*
    A terrific hotel that makes you feel special. Not that special but they truly do pamper you. One of the best boutique hotels in NYC.
    The staff are very friendly and accommodating.  They will go out of their way for you. The lobby is quaint and relaxing. They always have refreshments and something to nosh on. On Saturdays they have wine and cheese happy hour (complementary). Their rooms were super nice especially the balcony overlooking the city. Your normal amenities are included. They have a mini bar which is pricey as expected. Comfy rooms and bed. The roof top bar is a great addition. I can picture on a warm day a drink in one hand, a warm breeze and a great view of the city. They sometimes hold functions up there. Plus they have ample seating.
  • Review from

    • 25 friends
    • 67 reviews
    Redwood City, CA
    1/23/2013
    4.5 Stars
    LOVE this hotel! For a New York City hotel, it was very roomy and had lots of space. Very accommodating and friendly staff. Great location, walking distance from Madison Square Park and Union Square... moreover, its pretty close to the East River Park which makes a great running route.

    Great, clean, updated amenities. They offer complimentary wine and cheese nights as well as refreshments / snacks in the lobby at all times for guests. Great hotel!
  • Review from

    Gaithersburg, MD
    8/2/2012 1 photo 1 check-in here
    Review based on rooftop experience only:

    What a gorgeous rooftop in the Flat Iron District!!! During a recent NYC bachelorette party, a group of us rented out the rooftop for a private wine tasting. Service was phenomenal & views were amazing. Perfect venue for a smaller private gathering.

    Would love to stay at this hotel @ some point. Great area too; I'm a fan of the Flat Iron District.
    • Rooftop
  • Review from

    San Francisco, CA
    11/4/2012
    The Hotel Giraffe is an amazing hotel and the piano in the lobby sets the tone for the rest of the place (quaint, classy and intimate). The rooftop bar is great place for small groups and couples (doesn't get too crazy like some other rooftop bars) in terms of the setting but the view (or lack thereof) is obstructed with a taller building right across the street. If the rooftop bar was located higher up (on the ~12th floor) or facing the avenues, then the view would be vastly improved. Regardless, I really like the layout and the decor (small tables/benches that make it easy to have a conversation vs. yelling over people). Come for the ambiance because the view is not that great.

    This place carries Delirium Tremens beer, fyi.
  • Review from

    • 195 friends
    • 196 reviews
    New York, NY
    6/20/2013
    cleanest, sharpest and most comfortable hotel between Gramercy and mid-town...great top floor, too; best go-to in area.
  • Review from

    Collingswood, NJ
    10/14/2012 2 check-ins here
    Great location, employees are very nice, rooms are larger than we thought by NYC standards, definitely would consider staying here again.

    Bathrooms had an unusual configuration but were good with water and so forth. We had a balcony room, which was nice but not large enough to sit on but good for letting in fresh air.

    Free breakfast was nice, the laptop and printer in the lobby was handy and no complaints about the valet parking service (seems like they use another company).

    Overall, a great experience and would stay here again.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 6 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    6/29/2013
    I just held a party on the roofrop through the hotel's restaurant Bread and Tulips.  It far exceeded my expectations!!  The staff was phenomenal (Charlotte), they set it up so beautifully for my guests and me, everyone was asking how I found this place!  And the manager Riccardo was so accomodating...the absolute best I've come across in the city.  I would recommend throwing a party here, and ask for Riccardo!
  • Review from

    Chicagoland, IL
    1/20/2012 3 photos 6 check-ins here
    3 weeks ago I was staying in a Best Western near the airport... cut to now and I'm practically living large in the lap of luxury (for a few days, at least) with a room that overlooks Park Avenue. My, how things change.

    The whole time I just kept thinking that I must've rolled some pretty lucky dice to have landed a boutique hotel on Park Ave. And more than a few times I had to bite my tongue to stop the urge to introduce myself as Milton Bradley.

    Everything about this hotel made me indescribably happy -- less the disappointment of knowing at some point I would have to check out. The hotel is sleek but welcoming with a piano in the lobby a kick-ass breakfast buffet along with a wine and cheese happy hour from 5-8 and specialty coffee drinks round the clock.

    Hotel Giraffe won me over on every level- but i thought I'd share a few highlights in case you were wavering (as if!) in the form of David Letterman's top ten list.

    The 10 Greatest Things About Hotel Giraffe

    10. Corner of Park and 26th. Gorg and a great location
    9. Best free B-Fast buffet ever
    8. speedy elevators that are never packed
    7. incredibly friendly staff that let me check in at 9:30 am instead of 3 pm
    6. always attentive and insanely attractive doormen
    5. rooms were the perfect size with extra high ceilings and had balconies that overlooked park ave*
    4. free wifi
    3. and a GIANT mirror right across from the bed for some extra sexy time... if you aren't there alone like I was... wah wah.
    2. A mere block and a half away from the Museum of Sex
    .............................and the #1 greatest thing bout hotel giraffe?!?!?!!
    drumrolldrumrolldrumrolldrumrolldrumrolldrumrolldr­umrolldrumrolldrumroll
    1. Monogrammed Toilet Paper Rolls!!!

    I don't want to call it the highlight of my trip, because that would be downplaying it... but it could very well be the highlight of my life.
    • Even the TP is fancy.
    • Gorg!
  • Review from

    • 4 friends
    • 1 review
    Johns Island, SC
    5/13/2012
    Just got back from a girls weekend away with the sisters. Hotel Giraffe was recommended to us, and I in turn, would recommend it to any and all. We all loved the ambience and intimacy of the lobby, complete with an unending supply of food from breakfast till late night snack. It was a great place for our large group to gather and hang out between outings. Coffee 24/7. Just the way I like it.

    Hotel location is terrific, central to everything we wanted to do and see. And we highly recommend the attached restaurant, where we ordered takeout and also sat down for a meal. As hotel guests we received 20% off. Nice.

    The rooms were very nicely designed, with a step out balcony. Our room was on the 11th floor, so the view was great.

    We so appreciated the service. Friendly and very attentive staff met our every need, and then some. The doormen were both helpful and hunky.

    The relatively small number of rooms allows the staff to attend to the guests. It's a whole different feel than the bigger chain hotels. No nickel and diming you to death! Everything was included. I would stay here again, no question.
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    3/23/2012
    This is an odd place; something about the font leads it down a questionnable path from the first minute you walk through. The lobby is unmemorable, but for the bowl of fresh fruit, lemonade, and biscotti put out for the taking within reach of the elevator. Arriving at the top floor, the terraced rooftop is inviting but seating is scarce - why arrange for 4 large groups in the actual open air rather than several small, or better yet - standing?

    My group of 6 ended up on ottoman seating in the room adjacent; it was a disconcerting feeling of indoor/outdoor as we were next to a blazing fireplace and facing 2 large undecorated walls, with our back to the open space. It felt like an unfinished room, and in not the cool grungy way.

    Service was also sub-par. Our waitress affected a strange accent and was about 10+ minutes before we received attention. She also made comments about how the actual bar was what she personally referred to as the sweat bar from hell. Great, so my drinks would be coated in her perspiration? Gross. Or was she working for her tip so we would not feel compelled to self-serve. Oh wait, there's an automatic 22% gratuity added onto the bill, so what WAS she doing? I can only guess she was weird. In any case, her job was to make us feel comfortable and it was a far cry from that.

    I left after one warm plastic glass of sangiovese and grabbed a biscotti on my way out.
  • Review from

    • 2019 friends
    • 875 reviews
    New York, NY
    2/15/2008
    My dad has always had a thing for giraffes.  I'm not sure why, but for as long as I remember, he's always been fascinated with them. So imagine his delight when this lovely little boutique hotel happened to be located around the corner from my sister's apartment.  The theme is quite present in all the decor - everything is brown and giraffe spotted but not offensively so.  In fact everything is very tastefully done.  Beautiful but understated.  Much like a giraffe, I'd imagine.  I always liked nature's irony in creating such a grand, stately animal but not giving it the means to make any noise (Giraffes are mute, if I recall).

    Well, in my opinion, this hotel lives up to its namesake.  It's not to be ignored, but makes no effort to stand out in an ostentatious way.  It's undeniably beautiful, but is not proud.  Pricey for sure, but that's par for the course for this neighborhood.  And don't expect loads of space for the non-suite rooms either, but do expect well executed layouts and enjoyable experience.  At least I know my dad will be happy.
  • Review from

    • 341 friends
    • 1038 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    6/5/2009
    Located along New York City's popular and chic Park Avenue is the amazingly cozy and stylish Hotel Giraffe. Upon entering this boutique hotel I was greeted by friendly staff that instantly made me feel at home. The lobby, which host both complimentary breakfast from 7am-10:30am and cheese and wine from 5-8pm daily, exudes a real laid back and comfortable feel to it.

    As I was checking in, the cheese and wine special was well underway and quite popular with guests of the hotel. Many people were lounging, chatting and laughing (a couple of glasses of wine will do that to you) on the many couches and chairs available in the lobby. Live piano music is also performed in the lobby weeknights between 6-9pm. Definitely a great spot to hang out at before or after a day in the city.

    The Hotel Giraffe offers many rooms with a small balcony, now even though I did not get a room with one of these great features, I must say that it is something you might want to ask for when booking a room. Many of them face Park Avenue and make for a spectacular view and a definite "photo op."

    The room's decor is European chic and features high ceilings, flat screen TV, a work desk, complimentary wifi, a nice sized closet (that offers a safe, umbrella and robes), 2 free bottles of water, a plush lounge chair and foot rest, comfy bed and plenty of light.

    The bathroom is large and offers guests plenty of room. It includes a beautiful marble counter space, plenty of mirrors, a glass and solid wood door and even a scale.

    What makes this hotel so great is all of the freebies that come along with the rate. You already feel like a VIP when you are staying on Park Avenue, but the Hotel Giraffe turns it up a notch with so many great extras.

    The next morning I checked out the complimentary breakfast, and while many hotel's "free breakfast" fall usually just include some cereal, an apple and bad coffee, that is not the case at the Hotel Giraffe. They offer a plethora of items to devour before starting another day in the Big Apple.

    Fresh fruit include cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and melon. Also great New York style bagels, delicious pastries, strong coffee, a variety of juices and plenty of newspapers to read in a very cozy atmosphere.

    Finally, how can you not enjoy a hotel named after a giraffe?! Highly recommend.
  • Review from

    • 536 friends
    • 342 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    1/31/2012 1 photo
    The location alone of this hotel -- on Park Ave South, a stone's throw from Shake Shack -- would recommend it to anyone.

    But what goes on inside is just as grand. From the early check-in offered without my having to ask, to the free breakfasts and wine & cheese afternoons, to the gorgeous rooms (with real balconies!), this hotel was a luxurious home away from home.

    The only hitch was a fifteen-minute span in the morning when the hot water didn't work -- eek! -- but besides that, gloriousness all 'round. I'd gladly stay here again.
    • Glorious room!

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