Typically, a visit to New York City is an action-packed, thrill-a-minute experience, with tourists stretching their waking hours to the absolute limit in order to cram in as much shopping and dining and theatre-going and clubbing as humanly possible. For many visitors, this translates into their hotel being little more than a place in which to grab a little shut-eye between closing the bar and pouring the morning's coffee, and its selection accorded correspondingly little attention.
For longer-stay guests, or more indulgent ones, however, the choice of lodgings is paramount to the New York experience. Comfort is a factor, of course, as is service and location, but also worthy of note are more intangible elements such as attitude, atmosphere and, for lack of a better phrase, ease of use. One suspects that it is with guests such as these that the Denihan Hospitality Group has created its Affinia brand.
Each of the four recently refurbished, all-suites Affinia hotels in Manhattan boasts a different theme: For busy, health-conscious executives, there's the Affinia Dumont; the Affinia 50 will appeal to travellers who crave the feel of a home away from home; the Affinia Manhattan offers a buzzing location in the thick of it all; and for anyone seeking an oasis of calm amid the chaos that is the City That Never Sleeps, there's the Affinia Gardens.
Renovated to the tune of $8.7-million in 2005, the Affinia Gardens is billed as "A Tranquil Suites Hotel," with promises of Zen themes, amenities that promote relaxation and soothing design. Considering that staff claim up to 35 per cent of the hotel's guests are related in some way to the two nearby hospitals, either as out-patients or visitors, you have to figure that the tranquillity theme is well chosen.
Ambiance
If you've ever visited a friend who lives in an Upper East or West Side apartment building, then you'll be familiar with the ambiance of the Affinia Gardens. Front-desk staff greet guests like long-term residents, which no doubt some of them are, and the apartment feel of the suites extends that sense of hominess. Over all, this is about as far as you can get from the sometimes downright chilly "cool" of the Midtown boutiques.
Clientele
Of the 65 per cent of the clientele who are not connected in some way to the Mount Sinai and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospitals, it's a safe bet that the majority are mid-level executives in town on longer-term stays, if only because few other Manhattan visitors would benefit from the full kitchens and expansive work areas that come with every room.
Rooms
It's unlikely that fashionistas in search of the latest style will be content with the apartment-like suites at the Affinia Gardens. But for those who seek a comfortable bed and matching pillow, the latter selected from a three-choice menu, and an unusually large floor plan that includes a separate bedroom, a smartly if conservatively designed living room and a full kitchen, the hotel will suit to a T.
In keeping with its serenity theme, the Affinia Gardens also offers a choice of three "Tranquillity Kits" to be enjoyed on a complimentary basis for the length of your stay. These include a meditation kit that offers a mini-Zen garden, an instructional DVD and player and a fluffy floor pillow, and a city gardens kit that gives you a guidebook to New York City green spots, a picnic blanket and even a sketchbook with a selection of coloured pencils.
Service
As much as the rooms are comfortable and the ambiance is indeed tranquil, without question this hotel's greatest asset is its staff. From the smiles at check-in to the sincere "Hope to see you again soon" when the airport taxi is hailed, the courteous employees and management of the Affinia Gardens are all about making your stay as pleasant and problem-free as possible, which they accomplish with an ease and friendliness all-too-often missing at big-city hotels.
Food and drink
Not surprisingly, given the hotel's full kitchen suites and longer-term-stay appeal, there is no restaurant or bar at the Affinia Gardens, just the Serenity Lounge, where guests are welcome to relax with a cup of excellent, custom-blended tea. (The hotel's signature brew, which appealed even to this non-tea-drinker, is also available to take home.)
For full meals, management has made arrangements with four local restaurants for special delivery service. Foodies seeking to capitalize on New York's vibrant dining scene, however, will surely find themselves needing to exit the rather mundane local restaurant scene and hop on the close by 4, 5 or 6 line subway bound for downtown.
Things to do
The Upper East Side is Manhattan's bastion of money, power and privilege, and as such even the avenues tend to be a bit more subdued and conservative than they are elsewhere in the bustling city.
Still, there's no such thing as boring in the Big Apple, and plentiful diversions await steps from the hotel's front door, from shopping at nearby Bloomingdales to cultural explorations at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Euro-centric Frick Collection, each but short blocks away.
Hotel vitals
Essentials: Affinia Gardens, 215 East 64th St., New York; 212-355-1230; http://www.affinia.com. The hotel is an easy walk from the 4, 5 and 6 trains at the 64th Street and Lexington station, and three stops or a short taxi ride from Grand Central Station.
Rates and rooms: Affinia Gardens' 130 suites start at around $380 a night.
Top draw: Reasonably priced suites are perfect for longer-term stays, and impeccable service completes the experience.
Needs work: Not that management can do much to change the hotel's situation, but the neighbourhood is about the least vibrant in all of Manhattan.