The Gardens Sonesta ES Suites New York

Offering huge, contemporary suites with full kitchens, and a stellar location in the Upper East Side, the Gardens Sonesta ES Suites New York is a suitable pick for families, couples, and patients (and their families) visiting the nearby hospitals. Patients and their family members can receive personalized service from the staff as well as house calls -- or, rather, hotel calls -- from doctors. Renovations in 2018 brought a fresh, contemporary style to the property, consisting of calming earth-tone hues, attractive artwork, and practical yet comfy seating.

The lobby is a pleasant place to rest sightseeing-weary feet, and is particularly popular during the free nightly wine hours. Free coffee and tea in the adjacent lounge area are also perks. Amiable bellmen don light-gray fedoras, a nod to the Denihan Group's Depression-era founder, Benjamin J. "Bud" Denihan, who supposedly greeted everyone he met with a tip of his hat (and whose affinity for his fellow man inspired Affinia's name). As there are few big amenities, the hotel's defining feature is probably its backyard garden (hence the hotel’s name), although it can only be enjoyed by guests who spring for a Deluxe Room with a patio.

Gardens Sonesta ES Suites New York sits on the Upper East Side, a quiet neighborhood in Manhattan known more for its museums and stately apartment buildings than for any party-till-dawn nightlife. Many guests choose the Gardens Suites because of its proximity to two major hospitals: the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, which is right across the street, and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, about a 10-minute walk northeast. As far as attractions go, there isn't much within walking distance, apart from Central Park (10 minutes on foot), and the famous shopping along Madison and Fifth avenues, with stores like Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, and Jimmy Choo (around 10 to 15 minutes). The stretch of Fifth Avenue that runs north from the low 80s to 104th Street, known as Museum Mile, is home to a number of world-renowned museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim. The Gardens is also within easy walking distance of several kid-friendly attractions, including the Central Park Zoo (10 minutes), Dylan's Candy Bar (five minutes), and the famous dessert restaurant Serendipity 3 (seven minutes).

Nearby subways offer fairly easy access up and downtown. It’s a four-minute walk to the Lexington Ave and 63rd Street station for F and Q trains, and seven minutes to the Lexington and 59th Street station for N, R, and W trains.

New York City has three nearby airports: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark (in New Jersey), and travel times from each are heavily dependent on the time of day and traffic conditions. Generally speaking, it should take around an hour from JFK, 30 minutes from LaGuardia, and about 90 minutes from Newark.

As a former apartment complex, the Gardens Suites offers enormous rooms, even compared with those at more expensive luxury hotels. Taking into account the various combinations involving suite size and options like terraces and patios, there are a number of different room types to choose from. However, with the exception of three two-bedroom suites, two basic options dominate at the Gardens: Junior Suites and One-Bedroom Suites. The Junior Suite, the most affordable room type, is 400 to 600 square feet. Decor throughout is neutral and contemporary, with an emphasis on functionality that's also comfy -- think dining tables that double as desks, reclining armchairs, pullout sofas, lots of electrical outlets, and hooks by the doorways.

Suites are intelligently equipped with everything required for a comfortable self-contained stay, with tech features that include large flat-screen TVs and clock radios with iPod docks, and in-room Wi-Fi is covered in the mandatory facilities fee. All suites include fully equipped kitchens which feature large fridges, gas stoves, microwaves, and cabinets, plus pots, pans, cooking implements, silverware, and Cuisinart coffeemakers. Dishware from New York's fun and eclectic Fishs Eddy home goods store add some local character. Bathrooms are modestly sized, equipped with showers and quality bulk toiletries.

Suites also feature safes, irons, ironing boards, and hairdryers. Experience and grocery kits and are also available by request, and signature Affinia beds come with a free pillow menu that lets guests choose an additional pillow made of natural buckwheat, hypo-allergenic materials, down, magnetic therapy, Swedish memory, or sound (with its own iPod-connected stereo buried in the filling). Most rooms have pleasant views of the neighborhood and are quiet.

Although lacking a full restaurant and bar, guests won't go hungry or thirsty if they choose not to leave the property. A range of Fresh Direct grocery kits are available for guests to purchase, as are easy-to-make meal kits from Meisterdish. They can be reserved at the time of booking, or at the front desk. Room service is also available from neighborhood restaurants. Additionally, free nightly wine hours and free coffee and tea in the lounge during the day are welcome touches.

Affinity Junior caters to a kid-friendly hotel experience offering perks (some free; others add ons) such as custom coloring sheets, and camp-in experiences with teepees, star night lights, and bedtime stories (available for larger room types only). Pets are allowed for a fee, which covers pet beds, food and water bowl, toys, and more.

Bike rentals are also on offer, along with a daily $10 credit to on-site sundries store (though there are some stipulations) and Wi-Fi -- although most of these “freebies” are actually covered in the daily hotel facilities fee. There’s a 24-hour fitness center that’s on the small side, but equipped with everything required for a workout.