New York, NY--

Once again, our staff ventured back to the Big Apple for the Second part of in Four part series of Boutique Hotels in New York owned by the Boutique Hotel Group. This time we reviewed The Mansfield Hotel located conveniently off 5th Avenue in Downtown Manhattan.

The Mansfield Hotel which offers many amenities to the traveler that is looking for something that is a bit different than your traditional hustle and bustle of some the larger hotels located in New York. It's a little of the old and a whole lot of new all under one roof.

The hotel has been restored to much of its original look with special attention to original details. The interior and exterior areas have been carefully resurrected, including the cast iron detailing and original stone and brick work faced, the mahogany and steel staircases, original terrazzo floors and the lobby lighting bobesches which make the entrance and reception areas so intimate and attractive. There is no wonder why the hotel was awarded the 1997 Best Hotel Award from Interiors Magazine.

Just like its sister property, the Shoreham Hotel, our staff was impressed with all the Boutique Hotel group had crammed into this old 12 story 124- room apartment style hotel. They retained its original look, but used their Euro theme in all of the remainder of the hotel to ensure a pleasant experience. So whether you like the original spiral staircases or narrow hallways or the artwork that lines the hotel, there is plenty here that will keep you coming back, all of which we will detail below.

As you arrive at the hotel, you will be quickly greeted by the Mansfield Bell Staff, who will open the glass doors with the large brass “M” and then promptly they will assist with any of your luggage and lead you to the front desk of the hotel.

The front desk area looks more like an information station then a large hotel check in area. This is just one of the amenities that this hotel has that will have you feeling like you are a lot closer to home than you feel. Each staff member here will recognize you by face after a few hours at the hotel, once again catering to personalization is one of the features of the Mansfield.

After a speedy check in process, our staff stepped inside of the elevator, quickly finding that our bellman had already made it to our room and was ready and waiting to unload our bags. This time we had plenty of bags and provided a huge challenge for him in the narrow hallways. The bellman meticously took his time and asked if there was anything else he could provide us with regarding the room before he left. He even offered to get anything we needed so we didn't have to call downstairs. This is just another amenity that many other hotels will not provide. Someone who knows the hotel as well as the people at the front desk is a welcome addition to a good nights accommodations.

Once in the room or suite, you will find a very unique experience that allows this hotel to retain its old world charm, but add a little twist for travelers with its modern “Euro” style amenities, which we will describe to you later in this review.

One of the best features we have seen from the boutique hotels so far is the amount of space in the suites for the money spent. While some of the rooms are here are small and cozy enough for one traveler, the suites have plenty to offer many of our business travelers. With a separate bedroom and living area, the Mansfield offers room to spread out without working and sleeping in the same room. It is also the perfect place for having a guest over to enjoy the fireplace in the living area for on a cold winter night. Yes, we said fireplace, for those who think only the poshest of suites and penthouses offer this, well welcome to the best value in the winter months right in the big city.

The bedroom area once again exemplifies the signature items found in the hotel. The bed raised off the floor to match the European style of the entire hotel. On the bed guests will comfort themselves with some of the best hotel linens in the business then add the down comforters and plush down pillows, and a good night sleep is only minutes away after falling into this paradise.

Everything a guest needs right next to the bed in case you might want something brought to your room before retiring for the night. You can even plug into the complimentary high speed wireless internet before ending your evening. Just another feature to keep you in touch with the future, all compliments of the Mansfield. As you look around the room, large photographs of old steam locomotives line the walls, once again accenting the heritage of the hotel. These are just some of the many treasures found throughout the hotel. We have listed them below later in the review. You might also like the yellow fluorescent lighting behind the bed that creates a nice effect at night and allows you to find your way around the room once you turn off the lights.

Just like we found at the Shoreham hotel, the bathroom at the Mansfield is has the European Style, with a stainless steel sink and vanity area along with an old marble counter top stretching into the bathtub. The Mansfield certainly wastes no extra space in their bathroom designs, ensuring that each guest has a chance to enjoy the old style charm of the building. Even the showerhead was placed in the middle of the bathtub for a different appearance. We even had to look twice to see where the showerhead was located.

After freshening up from a long day of activities, we decided to check out the quaint M Bar located on the lobby level of the hotel. Once you open its doors, you will once again see why this hotel offers amenities that are not found anywhere else.

The Bar and Lounge area resembles more of a setting from an Alfred Hitchcock movie then your traditional place to sip a cocktail. While sipping on a couple of drinks, our staff wondered what would happen if we grabbed one of the books off of the shelf. With the age of the hotel, this bar matches the original old flavor the hotel has all around and also serves as way to showcase the original purpose of this area which served as a reading room. The lighting is kept very low forming an intimate setting and a great way to relax.

We highly encourage taking a look at the detail of the cupola that is directly above the bar. It is definitely a throwback to a time when architecture was nothing less than stunning.

We decided we would sit in on the lounge and try one of their signature martinis, which included the Jolly Rancher Martini and the Caramel and Coffee Martini. All of the Martinis along with other exclusive wine selections are a great way to relax without looking for a place in the city.

Although the Mansfield does not have a full restaurant like the Shoreham Hotel, it has a nice limited appetizer style menu available which included Chicken Skewers with a Peanut sauce, for $12.00 and Bruschetta loaded with Tomatoes and Garlic. All of this loaded on French Bread for $8.00, you can't beat it. These skewers are enough to fill an empty stomach and are a very quick selection to add to the great list of drinks available. The Skewers were so good we had to order two. The Fruit and Cheese Platter for $18.00 came highly recommended and combines cheeses from many different regions and it will be a great addition to any of the wines on their list.

If you like Jazz, then enjoy a drink and an appetizer and listen to the Live Jazz from 7:00 until 9:00pm on Wednesday's and Thursday's and see why this is one of the most quaint and classiest places to hang out after work during the week.

For those of you who would like to plan a small meeting, this boutique hotel is ready to meet your needs with is 14 seat Yeats Boardroom. Just like the hotel, its small, but is fits the needs of a small group that might be traveling to New York on business. If you add the additional space in the suites, this is the ideal place a traveler would want to be if they are trying to dodge the hustle and bustle of New York.

After leaving the bar, guests can take advantage of free 24 hour Expresso and Cappuccino's located in the breakfast room of the hotel. Grab a newspaper or book and relax in another old world part of the hotel.

Lastly, no one will be able to stay at the hotel without taking notice to some of the artwork that surrounds the entire hotel. The pieces found in the hotel are listed below.

Bernard Boutet de Monvel
11 Drawings c. 1927-1940 Pencil on Paper

Elie Nadelman
The Drypoints of Elie Nadelman c.1920
22 images published in an edition of 50 drypoint etchings

Mattie Edwards Hewitt
10 original gelatin silver prints of Elie Nadelman's sculpture and maquettes c.1922

Berenice Abbott
Faces of the Twenties, published 1981
12 black and white photographs published in an edition of 65

Paul Kotlarevsky Seated Officer c. 1913
Oil on Canvas

Philippe Derchain
Portrait of a Musician c.1900
Oil on Canvas

Judith Turner
160 Black & White photographs commissioned for guest rooms

Breakfast Room Furniture
Burmese British Colonial c. 1925

If your looking for a place to stay in New York and you want first class service and the old world style with a touch of the future, then The Mansfield Hotel should be in your travel plans for your next trip to the Big Apple. Specials packages are available and can be found on their website listed below.

For more information about making a reservation at The Mansfield Hotel contact the hotel directly at (212) 944-6050 or visit the Shoreham's website online at

www.mansfieldhotel.com

The Mansfield Hotel is located at

12 West 44th Street

Off 5th Avenue

PHONE (212) 944-6050

Toll Free (800) 255-5167