Luster English

The rennaissance elegance of the Fifth Avenue Hotel

Nestled at the crossroads of 28th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City, the Renaissance-revival hotel has been meticulously redesigned brick by brick with a multitude of decorative details.

Por: Rubén Carrillo July 11, 2024

Fifth Avenue Hotel / Photo via Fifth Avenue

If you’re seeking a departure from the ubiquitous hotel chains that dominate Manhattan and crave a more intimate setting, the Fifth Avenue Hotel is your answer.

Housed in a 19th-century mansion, this hotel exudes a sense of residential comfort and exuberant design, providing a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of NoMad.

Located at the intersection of 28th Street and Fifth Avenue, the hotel is close to Madison Square Park and the Empire State Building. Gagosian and Fotografiska galleries and Eataly market are within walking distance, as are restaurants like Koloman and Atoboy.

Just opening the blinds in your room and taking in the city views will bring you back to reality.

Ambience

Stepping through the entrance, you feel as if you’ve entered a grand cabinet of curiosities. The jewel-toned, ornately paneled, and mixed-material vaulted lobby sets the tone for your visit.

The Renaissance-revival mansion has been redesigned brick by brick with a multitude of decorative details. Designer Martin Brudnizki, known for his ability to blend the past and present, drew inspiration from the building’s Gilded Age provenance and the travels of owner Alex Ohebshalom.

Painted columns, pink silk canopies, multicolored crystal chandeliers, and bone-inlaid tables evoke memories of travels to Morocco and Rajasthan, among other locales.

The hallways are lined with vivid wallpaper showcasing oversized flora and fauna, both real and mythical, and the hotel’s art collection spans from Old World oil paintings to ambitious mixed media and 20th-century American photography.

This romantic and eclectic mix is reflected in its guests: glamorous women in cocktail dresses and sleek boots; older gentlemen in dinner jackets; young couples in love; and groups of girlfriends.

Brudnizki and Ohebshalom’s vision pays homage to the artistic spirit of Baudelaire and the flâneur, the curious wanderer emblematic of 19th-century French literary culture. Honoré de Balzac called flânerie “the gastronomy of the eye,” and in this hotel, there’s much to feast your eyes on.

History

While the Fifth Avenue Hotel may seem to have sprung up out of nowhere in the NoMad neighborhood, it’s been in the works for some time.

The original five-story limestone and brick building was part of the estate of socialite Charlotte Goodridge.

In 1907, it was redesigned as a bank in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo by architects McKim, Mead & White. Alex Ohebshalom’s family acquired the building in the 1970s, and in recent years, a 24-story glass tower was added to complete the vision of a luxury hotel.

With Brudnizki’s help, Ohebshalom has reimagined it as “a New York hotel like no other” that still feels like an incredibly luxurious home.

Food and Beverage

The hotel’s restaurant, Café Carmellini, by chef Andrew Carmellini, reflects the building’s classic elegance. Blue velvet and mustard leather chairs are juxtaposed against Art Deco mirrors, concentric circle chandeliers, and large trees that reach towards the two-story ceiling.

The menu features signature dishes like Shrimp Colonnata and Grapefruit Sorbetto, Italian classics like duck tortellini, and tributes to other chefs like Scallops Cardoz. The wine list boasts 1,800 bottles, and classic cocktails are also available.

For a nightcap, the Portrait Bar is the ideal spot, with cocktails inspired by destinations like Kochi and Kolkata. The bar also serves as the breakfast room in the morning.

The hotel will soon have an additional dining venue called The Study, a ballroom, and a gym. In the meantime, guests are offered passes to nearby fitness centers.

We hope you enjoyed this article about Fift Avenue Hotel, If you did, please share it with others. You might also be interested in reading our article about Todd Snyder, or browsing other reviews in our Luster English section.

The rennaissance elegance of the Fifth Avenue Hotel

Ambience

History

Food and Beverage

Aliados

gentlemanusa.com

runonworld.com

plpg.news

Ambience

History

Food and Beverage

Subscribe To Our Magazine

Digital Magazine