The Mansfield Hotel

Hotel description

In New York real estate circles the word “prewar” is one that holds a special significance. This is the era stretching back from the start of the Second World War to, for all practical purposes, roughly the dawn of the 20th century. When buildings were buildings, elevators had attendants, and a height of fifteen or twenty stories was enough to scrape the sky. It’s not just the solid construction, although that certainly doesn’t hurt. It’s also the aesthetic appeal of what’s for many of us the most romantic period in New York’s history. And in large part this romance is what the Mansfield Hotel is all about.

The massive year-long renovation had two aims: to restore the historical character of the building, and at the same time to bring the hotel up to current New York standards. Rooms are intimate, as vintage NYC hotel rooms tend to be, but efficiently designed, and packed with plush comforts — microfiber bathrobes, luxury linens, iPod radios, that sort of thing. The Club Room is a classic library/parlor, and the M Bar is a slightly retro nightspot, in keeping with the general tone of the Mansfield. Downstairs is a completely modern gym, but it’s not enough to break the spell — upon your exit to 44th street and the bustle of midtown Manhattan you just might feel a bit of future shock.