Andaz Wall Street

It may be located directly on Wall Street, but the Andaz, part of a mini-chain that's Hyatt's answer to trendy hotels like the W, is anything but a traditional business hotel. The design by the Rockwell Group is sleek without being loud and trendy; instead, the hotel is tastefully outfitted with lots of wood, marble, and flowers -- perfect for the business traveler that doesn't want to sacrifice style when traveling for work. And leisure travelers will be equally happy here, in part due to the efforts that the hotel makes to set itself apart. The lobby is a lounge that lacks a formal front desk; instead, a clean-cut host in a suit greets you to check you in on an individual tablet computer. Head up one flight of stairs to the bar, and you won't find a physical bar -- just waist-high stations where bartenders mix your old-fashioned cocktails before bringing them to you in a small basket. And no need to worry about nickel and diming here: Andaz has taken care to stock the hotel with freebies, like snacks and made-to-order barista coffee in the lobby, minibars where everything but the alcohol is free, and business services including printing and faxing. And where other high design hotels do all of this with an air of pretention, Andaz has a way of making everyone feel right at home.

Andaz Wall Street sits at the corner of Pearl Street and the famous street for which the hotel is named. It's in the heart of the Financial District, just a few blocks from the famous Wall Street sites like the New York Stock Exchange, Federal Hall, and Trinity Church. During the day, the area is extremely busy, with businessmen and women coming and going and tourists making their rounds. At night, the area empties out and can be quite desolate, though still safe and calm. The hotel is very convenient for anyone doing business downtown, and leisure travelers have easy access not just to Wall Street but also to Battery Park and its lovely promenade; the restaurants along the quaint cobblestoned Stone Street; shopping, restaurants, and old wooden ships at the South Street Seaport; and the ferries to Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and Governors Island. And while there aren't as many bars and restaurants as there are in other parts of Manhattan, there are enough options for most travelers (though very few late-night choices). Those wanting to explore the big tourist sites like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Central Park, and the Broadway theater district will need to travel uptown, though luckily almost every major subway line converges on or near Wall Street.- Hotel is two short blocks from the 2 and 3 subway lines; three blocks from the J, M, Z; four blocks from the 4 and 5 lines; six blocks from the R and W lines -- easy access to all of Manhattan's neighborhoods

• 20-minute subway ride to Central Park
• 20-minute subway ride to Times Square
• 20-minute subway ride to the Empire State Building and 25-minute ride to Rockefeller Center
• 10-minute walk to the ferry terminal to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• 25- to 30-minute subway ride to the American Museum of Natural History
• 35-minute subway ride to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the "Met") and a 30-minute subway ride to the Museum of Modern Art (the "MoMA")

The Rockwell Group-designed rooms here are simple and tasteful, with oak flooring and lots of white and neutral colors everywhere, accented by pops of lavender and tan furniture. Full of black tile, bathrooms are very dark and sexy, standing in contrast to the soft tones used in the rooms.All rooms have:- Simmons mattresses, down pillows, and down duvets by Pacific Coast

• At least one 42-inch flatscreen TV on a long, skinny desk. In some rooms, the desk is in the middle of the floor and a mirror on the back of TV creates a vanity area, complete with seat. TVs have 42 channels.
• Dark comptemporary bathrooms with stylish glass sinks, large walk-in showers with rain shower heads, and CO Bigelow toiletries. Many room types have a separate tub.
• Minibars where sodas, bottled water (sparkling and flat), and snacks (Cliff Bars, Terra chips) are free. Beer and liquor are offered for a fee.
• Robes and slippers
• Good-sized desk area with phone
• Safe big enough for a laptop
• Very high ceilings (about 11 feet) and tall picture windows (about seven feet)
• iPod docking station
• Free Wi-Fi
• Daily newspaper delivery
• No coffeemaker except in Andaz Large SuitesRoom types:- Andaz King and Andaz Double rooms are both 345 square feet and are the hotel's standard rooms. Bathrooms have big walk-in showers but no tubs.
• Andaz Large King rooms are 450 square feet and feature the hotel's signature rotating "cube" closet; standing outside the bathroom in the room's foyer, the spinning armoire has a closet on one side, a mirror on another, a minibar on the third side, and a robe and slippers on the final side. The bathrooms in these rooms have a shower and a separate peek-a-book tub, which means you can look directly at the bed through the tub's non-fogging glass wall, and vice versa.
• Andaz XL King rooms are 610 square feet and are what many would consider a small suite. The living room is not fully separated from the bedroom, but the two areas are divided using a stationary cube closet (one side of which is a closet, one of which holds the living room's flat-screen). The room has two 42-inch flat-screen TVs. The bathroom has a walk-in shower and a separate tub.
• Andaz Suites are 770 square feet and have a layout similar to the Andaz XL King rooms; all come with a king bed. Bathroom has two sinks, walk-in shower, and separate tub. There are two 42-inch TVs. Windows overlook Hanover Square.
• Andaz Large Suites are 1,030 square feet and have king beds and views of the Brooklyn Bridge. They are similar in layout to Andaz Suites and Andaz XL King rooms, but they also have a dining area and a coffeemaker.
• Cribs and rollaway beds are available for free, but the number of rollaways is limited

The spa has two treatment rooms and is open Tuesday through Friday and by appointment Sunday and Monday. In-room and afterhours treatments are also available. All treatments incorporate farm-to-table, locally sourced seasonal ingredients.24-hour fitness center has Life Fitness cardio machines with individual TVs; headphones and chilled towels are available.A barista tucked away in the corner of the lobbyBar Seven Five is a modern, sophisticated space with lots of blond wood and funky light fixtures, where guests sip Prohibition era-inspired cocktails at waist-high tabletops. Bartenders roam the space taking orders, and mix drinks at small, equipped stations rather than at a central bar. The bar is open daily, 4 p.m. to midnight.One flight up from the bar is Wall & Water restaurant, which features local, seasonal cuisine made with ingredients from the Hudson Valley. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.24-hour room serviceA concierge is on hand 24 hours a day.Room service, an abbreviated version of the Wall & Water menu, is available 24 hours a day.The hotel provides laundry service for a fee, and same-day service is an option for an additional cost.Daily housekeeping and nightly turndown serviceThere's no business center, but laptops and printers are available in the lobby, and hosts can assist with printing, copying, and faxing, all free of charge.Pillow menu available upon requestFree shoeshine serviceWall & Water restaurant stretches across the length of the third floor and has dim lighting, dark earth tone decor, an open kitchen, and beautiful white marble countertops that act as a bar area. The menu incorporates local, seasonal ingredients from the Hudson Valley into its American classics; dinner entrees include braised duck leg, grilled skirt steak, braised veal cheeks, and salted cod casserole. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.The lobby has free snacks for guests, such as ginger snaps and iced tea. More substantial snacks are available for purchase in the lobby, such as pre-made sandwiches and gourmet potato chips.An abbreviated version of the Wall & Water menu is available via room service around the clock, though the nighttime menu is limitedBar Seven Five, open afternoon to evening, serves classy bar snacks like cheeses and homemade chutneys. In 2012, Bar Seven Five Terrace opened, providing seasonal outdoor seating for lunch and dinner.In summer months, the hotel opens a Biergarten in its courtyard where German beers, pretzels, and sausages reign supreme.The neighborhood isn't known for its dining, but just a few blocks away the bustling South Street Seaport and the quaint Stone Street both have plenty of options.