Review: Andaz 5th Avenue Suite

In January, I spent three nights the Andaz 5th Avenue. It was my second time staying at this hotel and the main reason I booked it was because of its convenient location in midtown and spacious rooms. Because I didn’t have elite status with Hyatt anymore, my friend @ringsthecaddy was nice enough to book the stay under his account so I could get elite benefits.

He also applied a suite upgrade award, so I not only got breakfast covered all three nights but also had a larger room. Huge thank you to @ringsthecaddy!

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Andaz 5th Avenue location

The Andaz 5th Avenue is a great place to stay if you’re looking for a hotel with a central location that’s away from the ruckus of Times Square. It’s right across from the New York Public Library Schwarzman building and Grand Central station.

There is also a subway station nearby, which we used just once. Using NYC rideshare apps like VIA turned out to be cheaper and more convenient than the subway.

Andaz 5th Avenue check-in

We arrived at the Andaz 5th Avenue at 10:30 AM, so I did not expect them to have a room available. The agent “pre-checked” us in, taking my credit card down and letting us drop off our bags. He explained the Globalist breakfast benefit, which is $75 for two people and can be ordered via room service.

There were three of us and breakfast came up to around $85 every morning, however, at checkout I noticed only a $12 charge for breakfast. It was pretty generous of them to essentially waive the majority of the bill, despite there being three of us ordering three items every morning. 

I got a text message about an hour after check-in, letting me know the room was ready. We were out having breakfast and didn’t make it back until later that evening. The staff had moved our bags into the suite and the keys were ready for us at the front desk.

Andaz 5th Ave Andaz Suite

Like all the rooms as the Adanz 5th Avenue, the Andaz Suite has 12 foot ceilings giving it an even more spacious feel. The suite had a large storage area by the entryway and a living room with a pullout couch.

When I pulled out the couch, I was surprised to find it was already outfitted with sheets and a blanket. My brother slept on the couch and he thought it was very comfortable.

There was no view to speak of, but another pretty awesome feature? A line-up of cabinets that turned out to be a kitchenette. It included a microwave, refrigerator, Nespresso machine, sink, and washing machine. The cabinets were stocked with pretty much all the plates, cups, and silverware you’d need. The drinks and snacks were free and restocked daily.

Andaz Suite bedroom

The bedroom was roughly the size of the living room. It had plenty of closet space, a King sized bed, and TV. There were plenty of power outlets, including two USB ports on either side of the bed.

Storage space is really important when three people are sharing a room. There was tons of closet space in the suite. The only thing I didn’t like? It was pitch black and impossible to see anything. I was constantly using my phone as a flashlight – especially when looking through the hallway closet.

Andaz Suite bathroom

The bathroom was located past the double doors connecting the bedroom. There were a second entrance just off the main suite entry. It’s probably because of the glass and lighting, but the bathrooms at the Andaz 5th Avenue don’t photograph well. They always end up looking outdated and a bit worn down, even though they’re not.

The bathroom was clean, spacious and featured double sinks and a walk-in shower. The amenities were from a Brooklyn-based brand called Apotheke, which I really liked. In addition to shampoo and body wash, there was also a small glass jar stocked with makeup removing wipes, nail files and other essentials.

My only qualm with the bathroom was that the towels smelled like butter. I thought maybe one of us ate the free minibar popcorn and then wiped their hands all over the towels. Nope. Every single morning when they replenished the towels, they had the same butter smell.

Andaz 5th Avenue welcome amenity

During our first evening at the hotel, we got a nice welcome amenity with a note from the manager. I didn’t get a chance to choose between points and a welcome amenity at check-in, but I assume that’s what this was supposed to be.

It was actually worth – the pizza was delicious and the fruit was a nice way to top off all the junk food we’d been eating all day long.

Andaz 5th Avenue Globalist breakfast

Top-tier Hyatt Globalists staying at the Andaz 5th Avenue receive a $75 nightly breakfast credit. The best part? It applies to room service. Between the three of us, we wracked up an $85 bill every morning, yet we were only charged $12 total at checkout. Pretty classy, Andaz!

You legally can’t stay at this hotel without ordering the famed Lemon Souffle Pancakes that Gary Leff put on the map. While they’re totally worth the hype, I’m going to state a very unpopular opinion: The french toast is better.

The lemon poppy pancake (and yes, that’s singular because you only get one) is delicious but the syrup is sometimes way too sweet.

After that first morning, I got the french toast and was immediately won over. It’s hands down the fluffiest, most delicious french toast I’ve ever had. If you don’t care for the lemon poppy pancakes (I know, blasphemy!) then the french toast is a great alternative.

It comes topped with fresh berries and creme fraiche. So damn delicious and fattening, but you know what? Those calories were burned off every afternoon as we walked almost four miles around the city. Even though we made multiple stops for pizza, pasta, and cronuts.

My sister kept ordering the bagel and gravlax from Russ & Daughters. At $24 it’s the most expensive item on the menu and way overpriced. However, she really liked it and ordered it three mornings in a row, so I thought it was worth a shoutout.

Visa Signature breakfast benefit at Andaz 5th Avenue

If you’re not an elite member but still want elite-type benefits at the Andaz 5th Avenue, you might consider booking through Visa Signature Hotels. I reached out to the hotel to clarify what the breakfast benefit included.

I was told it was a continental breakfast and includes the following items (per person), for up to two people:

• One coffee
• One juice
• One bakery item (one bagel, one pastry or two toasts)
• One seasonal fruit

That’s a pretty generous breakfast benefit and ends up pricing out higher than if guests ordered just one hot item and a drink.

Visa Signature rate was the same as the lowest available rate on the hotel website, making it a very good deal. If you’re staying at a hotel without elite benefits, definitely consider booking through Visa Signature Hotels.

On a similar note, Amex Travel’s Hotel Collection offers a $75 stay credit at the Andaz 5th Avenue, which can be applied towards breakfast. That’s obviously not much across a 2-3 night booking, but goes a long way for one-night stay.

Final verdict on the Andaz 5th Avenue

The Andaz 5th Avenue is a great place to stay in Manhattan, especially for those of you attending FTU NYC. It’s just a block away from the event space and I’m sure most of the attendees will be staying there as well. You can book a standard room for 25,000 Hyatt points per night though, depending on the rate, redeeming Arrival miles might make more sense.

That being said, I think on my next visit to the city I’ll stay at the former Trump Soho, which has been rebranded as The Dominique Hotel. I ended up spending most of my time in downtown and The Dominique Hotel’s location is better suited for that.

Regardless of where you stay in New York City, I highly recommend you check out AmexTravel and Amex Offers travel deals. Not only can save cash and earn a ton of extra points on your booking, but you might even get freebies that are usually reserved for elite members.