Hotel/Resort

The Library Hotel is a Bookworm's Paradise

by Linda Oatman High,  Freelance Writer

July 2006
 

For those who imagine that Paradise must be some kind of library, Utopia may be found in a New York City hotel that’s packed with enough books to keep any bibliophile happy. Organized by the Dewey Decimal System and stashed with more than 6000 volumes, The Library Hotel is a librarian’s dream digs. Hip enough for the 21st century, The Library Hotel is fashioned from an 1800s brick and terra cotta building that’s been gorgeously restored and lovingly detailed to feel more like an exclusive private club than a modern hotel. From the wood-paneled elevators to the mahogany walls to the fresh flowers in the lobby, The Library exudes warmth and coziness.

“This is heaven,” sighed one writer, in Manhattan for a conference. “I never want to leave the room. I just want to cuddle up with a good book, and look out my window.”

Nestled on the corner of Madison Avenue and 41st Street, on the literary strip referred to as “Library Way,” the hotel’s rooms include views not only of the formidable New York Public Library but of the Pierpont Morgan Library as well. An easy walk from Grand Central Station, the location is one of ease and convenience in the midst of mid-town Manhattan.

Sixty impeccably appointed theme rooms fill ten floors (to coincide of course with the ten categories of the Dewey Decimal System). The rooms are resplendent with exquisite art and books. Oh, the books! Not only books, but international newspapers (New York Times, USA Today, and more), Belgian chocolates on the pillows, plush bathrobes, bottled water, complimentary breakfast, free wine and cheese, high-speed Internet access, cool televisions with lots of channels, a video movie library from which to choose, Natura toiletries, coffee, teas, champagne, biscuits, and fruit. Who could ask for more? It’s difficult to force oneself to leave the hotel.

Travelers, both personal and business, have made The Library a favorite for city trips. The majestic Writers Den, with a working fireplace, and the shimmering Poetry Garden’s wicker-chaired glass-walled greenhouse, both with French doors leading to an outdoor terrace, are available for social and business functions.

I stayed in the Music Room: 700.005. It was lovely, and comfortable, and clean. Next time, I’m shooting for 800.001: the Erotic Literature Room.

“I want to get married here!” raved one young visitor. “This would be perfect for a wedding.”

The Library is perfect not only for a wedding, but for a getaway or a romantic retreat (the Erotica room offers a lovers getaway package, complete with red roses, strawberries, whipped cream, and Erotic Dice) or a vacation or a business meeting. It’s ideal for a writer attempting to connect with the elusive muse, or for the reader in search of Paradise on a city street.

**All Photos by Linda High Oatman

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