5 Things To Know About the Andaz 5th Avenue [Review]

The Andaz 5th Avenue is one of Hyatt’s luxury properties in New York City and offers a terrific location with great service. The hotel is usually on the pricier end of Hyatt properties in the city, but it’s a great use of World of Hyatt points or a free night certificate.

I visited this hotel in early November 2025, on the night of the TCS New York City Marathon, when prices throughout the city were extremely high. The hotel provided great value for my stay, given that nearly every hotel in the city was charging double or triple their usual rates.

1. The Location Is Spot On

The Andaz 5th Avenue location is spot on. It’s directly across the street from the New York Public Library, with Bryant Park just behind it. It’s also 2 blocks away from Grand Central Terminal, which was perfect for me since I arrived via the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). Since it was really cold outside, I didn’t want to have to trek far. Although there was no indoor direct access to the hotel, it was a short walk away.

If shopping is your thing, the hotel’s Fifth Avenue location is convenient. You can head out the hotel entrance and turn right to find the shops Fifth Avenue is known for, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Ferragamo, Gucci, Prada, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, and Apple Fifth Avenue, all within about a 10- to 20-minute walk.

If you’re walking to Penn Station, it’s about 20 to 25 minutes. It’s not horrible, but it’s also not right next door, either. The Q32 bus runs between Midtown and the Penn Station area. Taking the subway is another option, but it requires a transfer.

If you’re headed to either John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA), it’s pretty easy to get to both from the hotel using public transportation, including the subway, buses, and LIRR. The Andaz 5th Avenue is well-located for access to 2 of New York’s major airports and offers straightforward public transit options.

2. Customer Service Was Fantastic

I’ll admit that, for New York City hotels, customer service can be very hit-or-miss. However, I found the staff at the Andaz 5th Avenue to truly be wonderful.

On my day of check-in, I arrived at Grand Central Terminal by train, then walked to the hotel, arriving around 10 a.m. I didn’t expect a room to be available this early, although I am a Hyatt Globalist, and early check-in can be a perk, if available. The front desk agent asked if I’d prefer to check in to a basic room or wait for a suite to become available later in the day.

It’s not often that a hotel asks a customer whether they’d rather prioritize getting into a room before the standard check-in time or wait for a larger room. Not needing the room immediately, I asked if I could wait for the suite, and the agent said, “Absolutely, no problem.” I’m glad I waited, but had I been in a rush and needed to change or take a nap, I would have absolutely taken the regular room.

Even as I was checking out on my last day, the staff were eager to help store bags or grab a bottle of still or sparkling water for the road. Many hotels in New York, including some of the midrange Hyatts, wouldn’t even consider proactively offering this type of service when a guest is leaving without being asked, so I really want to acknowledge the staff at the Andaz 5th Avenue for recognizing the customer’s needs.

3. My Suite Was Huge

When I was offered the choice to wait for an available suite, I had no idea that I would be upgraded to a Loft Suite, one of the hotel’s premium suites. These suites are all located in the hotel’s northern section. To get there, you first need to take the lobby elevator to a midlevel, walk down a long corridor, and then transfer to another set of elevators that will take you up to your room. If there was one downside to this suite, it was the elevator transfer. I can certainly see this being a pain if the hotel is full and people are waiting on both sets of elevators to get to and from the lobby.

The Loft Suite is one of the largest suites I’ve had in New York City. If you know NYC, you know how small the rooms usually are, and suites are at a premium. To receive a larger suite in this city is a true luxury.

Walking into the room, a large desk faced the entryway. One thing I really liked about this desk was the empty wall behind it. It’s a perfect place to hop on a Zoom call with someone, since there’s nothing behind you. I dislike how many hotels have a bed or bathroom behind the desk, making it awkward to position yourself for an on-camera meeting.

There was a large living room with an extra-long sofa (that doubles as a sleeper sofa) and a single couch, providing ample space to lie down and take a nap, or pace around on a call (as I did several times).

Separating the living room from the bedroom was a TV and a minibar. At Andaz hotels, basic nonalcoholic drinks and snacks are complimentary, and a list of what’s included was displayed on the shelf.

This hotel offered La Croix, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Starry as the nonalcoholic drinks, and snacks included a chocolate bar and a bag of chips. It wasn’t terribly exciting, but it was nice to pop open a can of soda and not have to pay for it. Unfortunately, when I checked out, I appeared to have been charged for something else in the minibar that I hadn’t consumed, which I had to have removed from the bill.

On the other side of this wall was the bedroom area, featuring a king bed with an enormous nightstand to one side. It was big enough to fit a backpack with several devices, rather than cramming a bunch of stuff onto a small nightstand.

Just off the bedroom area was the bathroom, which featured a separate toilet area, vanity, and a huge walk-in shower. One awkward aspect of the bathroom is that several doors had to be closed to achieve complete privacy. If you’re traveling with someone and need to use the restroom in the middle of the night, it can be a bit of a pain.

I received this room upgrade on account of my Globalist status, so I’m not sure if this is a regular occurrence or not, but I would hands-down return to this hotel if upgrades like this are offered regularly, simply because of the amount of space there was to spread out in, making a stay in NYC that much more comfortable.

4. Breakfast Has Options

As a Hyatt Globalist, I receive complimentary breakfast for up to 2 adults and 2 children on the same reservation, including 1 hot entree, a hot beverage, and a cold beverage, tax and tip included.

At most Hyatt properties, the breakfast benefit can only be redeemed in the hotel restaurant. However, the Andaz 5th Avenue has gone above and beyond to also offer this perk via room service, with the delivery charge included. Place your order before the cutoff time, and room service will deliver your items promptly. This is a great feature if you aren’t feeling like heading down to the restaurant.

While this hotel offers flexibility, room service can be a bit hit-or-miss. When I stayed at this hotel a few years ago and ordered breakfast, they forgot several key items — syrup for my pancakes and coffee cups for the coffee — which required me to call down and have someone else bring them up.

5. The Hotel Is a Category 7

The Andaz 5th Avenue is a Category 7 hotel, meaning you can redeem World of Hyatt points to stay here, starting at 25,000 points for an off-peak stay, going all the way up to 35,000 points during peak season.

As a Category 7 hotel, this property is also eligible for you to redeem a Category 1-7 free-night certificate, which you can earn through the World of Hyatt program. With the Park Hyatt New York now a Category 8 hotel and above the certificate’s parameters, the Andaz 5th Avenue is the highest-category Hyatt hotel available for booking in New York under this certificate, making it valuable for redemptions.

During my stay, since it was the day of the New York City Marathon, rates were through the roof, and the hotel would have required a whopping 35,000 points for the night, something I’d ordinarily be quite hesitant parting with. Since I had an expiring Category 1-7 certificate, I redeemed it to save myself the points, and I was happy I did, considering the savings in both points and cash.

While the Andaz 5th Avenue was certainly nice and well-located for my needs, I’m not sure it’s worth paying above and beyond for, with other decent options in the city that likely cost far less. Or I might consider spending more points to stay at the Park Hyatt New York, which is one of the best hotels in the city.

Final Thoughts

I’m a regular traveler to New York City, and I haven’t stayed at Andaz 5th Avenue in a while. I’m glad I gave it a try for this trip, using an expiring certificate. I had a really good time at this hotel, with a fantastic upgrade to boot, and I’d return if the service and upgrade opportunities were similar on future visits. One of my favorite aspects of this hotel is its accessibility to 2 of New York City’s airports, as well as its prime location in the heart of shopping and dining, with a manageable walk to Penn Station and Broadway theater shows. I’d certainly return!