As many of you readers know, New York hotels can get prohibitively expensive. During high season, visitors can find themselves paying up the $$$$ for a dingy small room in Manhattan. That’s why it’s so exciting to see Hyatt unveil its newest addition to its boutique Unbound Collection. Smacked right at Midtown on 39th and 6th Ave, the Grayson hotel can be a convenient place to stay for a quick visit in the Big Apple.
Booking
Since my stay was during peak peak peak holiday season, cash price for this one night was robbery. A standard 250 square feet room cost $587 USD just for the one night.
Luckily award redemptions were available. So for only 23,000 points, we were able to book this new hotel at a reasonable reward rate.
Right now, room rates have calmed down a lot. Today, you can book this hotel for almost half the price ($302 USD), so cash booking can be a consideration if you’re ever in town soon.
Grayson
This hotel has a dapper mood to it. On the entrance by 39th Street, there’s a spiraling staircase that’s a centerpiece exterior deco to the hotel.
The lobby bar and lounge feels like a wild child mix of Mad Men and the Great Gatsby.
Check-in was a friendly experience. The receptionist proactively offered elite benefits/late check-out, which I declined. Unfortunately, this was a very short stay where I had an early flight out the next morning. Nevertheless, the offer was appreciated.
With its industrial style roof, the Mad Men deco theme continues well into the hotel room.
Location
This hotel’s forte is definitely the location. It’s a short walk 9 minute walk to Grand Central Terminal.
Walk another 10 minutes and there’s Ippudo 5th Ave
and most importantly, it was a convenient short ride to the The Points Guy Awards holiday party which the festivities went to the wee hours in the city that never sleeps.
Overall, the Grayson New York was a pleasant stay. During high season, this can be a good option to use your Hyatt points to redeem an award night. Spending 23,000 Hyatt points instead of $587 USD definitely saved a hefty premium in cash. You can certainly get a lot of Ippudo ramen for that price.
Though it lacks the bells and whistles of a luxury hotel, this new boutique does its job in providing a comfortable stay that is centrally located in Manhattan. Next time I’m in New York City, I’ll keep this place under my radar for a repeat stay.
Chai Bear World 