Review: The New York Edition, Anixi and more…..

I recently had the chance to use my Marriott annual free night certificate from the AMEX Brilliant Card, worth up to 85,000 points, before it expired at the start of December. My initial plan was to redeem it at the relatively new and luxurious St. Regis Chicago, but a last-minute decision turned it into a quicktrip to New York City to surprise my niece for her ninth birthday and see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child with her. BTW: the play is incredible, everyone should go see it (no I’m not sponsored by them in any way).

For my stay, I chose the New York Edition, located in the iconic MetLife Clock Tower building in Madison Square Park. This central location was perfect—it offered easy access to the vibrant Flatiron District and Broadway theaters, with plenty of excellent dining options nearby.

In terms of value, the redemption was an absolute win. Room rates at the New York Edition were hovering around $1,500 that night, meaning I achieved an impressive 1.7 cents per Marriott point. For a property that blends sleek, modern luxury with historical charm, it felt like the perfect way to maximize the value of the certificate.

I arrived at the hotel around 11 PM local time after a quick 20-minute cab ride from LaGuardia. Check-in was efficient, and I was pleasantly surprised to be informed that I had been upgraded to a suite. Edition hotels can offer upgrades to Platinum members on stays, but they sadly do not offer free breakfast as a benefit especially not in the US.

 

This caught me off guard, as the app had already shown an upgrade to a Deluxe Room with a view of the Empire State Building (ESB).I didn’t ask about the views from the room or think much of it because I was in a hurry to head outside. The city was draped in a mesmerizing fog and the illuminated ESB in the midst of it was a sight I couldn’t resist capturing. I just wanted to leave my stuff and get out of the hotel.

The walk outside was incredible with the rain, fog, and remaining fall colors. The location of the hotel can’t be bested given that it’s across the street from the Flatiron building and Madison Square Park.

I returned to the hotel a bit wet and cold after a few hours walking around the city. So included within the $40 fee charged to you at check in by the hotel are a bar credit, spa credit, and laundry credit. The spa isn’t open on weekends and I was only staying the one night so the bottom two credits didn’t apply.

I ended up getting a Diet Pepsi and a sour tasting mocktail of some kind for the amount of the voucher ($35). Maybe you can max out the value here if you actually drink and value that stuff. The bar was quiet for a Friday night, but the music was incredibly loud and annoying.

The Loft:

My room was located on the 22nd floor and faced south toward the One World Trade Center (something I didn’t know when I first walked in).

The room was fairly large by NYC standards with a large sofa and table on one side of the room.

And there was a King sized bed on the other side of the room:

Near the entrance to the room, there was a spacious bathroom featuring a stand-in shower. The toiletries provided were by Le Labo, offering a luxurious touch with their rich lather and sophisticated fragrance.

There was also a closet across from the bathroom with a minibar and some robes.

I didn’t think much of the view outside my window when I first arrived because well I couldn’t see anything out the south facing window because of the rain and fog. The east facing window looked out straight onto an office building where I could see straight into the offices near by:

Fast forward a few hours and I woke up to an incredible view through the south-facing window, showcasing Lower Manhattan and the iconic Freedom Tower (One WTC). This instantly became one of the best views of Manhattan I’ve ever had in a hotel room. Perhaps only bested by the incredible room I had with a balcony at the Hotel Indigo on the Lower East Side.

The Wi-fi was fast and free and more than sufficient for my short stay.

Issues:

The thermostat in my room was frustrating to use. Although I set it to 74°F when I arrived, it wouldn’t maintain that temperature. The room initially warmed up but then cooled down while the thermostat still showed 74°F. To fix it, I had to raise the setting to 80°F to warm the room again, only for it to max out around that temperature. Worse yet, I felt a little warm when the temperature hit 74, so I reduced it a bit. Instead of just turning off the heating and letting the room cool on its own, the air conditioning turned on. Anyway, when I woke up in the morning I was freezing and the bathroom didn’t feature any air vents, which meant it was freezing in there while I took a shower.

Dining Nearby (Max Brenner and Anixi):

Again the location of the New York Edition was perfect. The following day we went to Max Brenner where I surprised my niece for her birthday. The Union Square location is within walkable distance of the hotel and has a very good selection of vegetarian brunch and meal options which aren’t just chocolate. The banana split waffle was amazingly good.

For dinner, we tried Anixi, a vegan and kosher Mediterranean brasserie nearby. The ambiance was lovely, and the service was excellent, but the food didn’t quite meet expectations. To preface, vegan restaurants that feature plant-based meats tend to cater more to those transitioning away from meat, aiming to replicate its flavor and texture, rather than to vegetarians who are used to eating vegetable based dishes their entire life.

We ordered the following along with Za’atar pita & Layered herb bread

1. Choice of 3 Dip Mezze (Fire Roasted Eggplant, Hummus Masabacha, Kabocha Squash)
2. Wild Mushroom Kabobs
3. Olive Za’atar Pide
4. Merguez

We found the food to be quite bland overall, lacking not just spice but even basic seasoning like salt. At around $200 all-in, it felt overpriced for what it delivered. The Harissa sauce made the food somewhat better, but I wouldn’t say it was amazing. While it was an experience to try, it’s not a place we plan to return to anytime soon—one visit was enough, for better or worse.

Bottom Line:

The New York Edition offers a sleek, luxurious experience with stunning views and an unbeatable location in Madison Square Park. While it’s hard to justify the $1,500/night price tag, points redemptions make stays like this accessible—something I wouldn’t otherwise consider. At that price point, it’s tough to see why someone wouldn’t opt for alternatives like the Thompson New York or Park Hyatt, which offer better luxury for less. With that being said, the views were pretty incredible and if I had another free night laying around, I wouldn’t mind using it here. I do wish they fix the thermostats (I’ve heard similar tales on Google reviews).

Why the AMEX Brilliant Card isn’t for everyone:

The economics of the AMEX Brilliant Card still give me pause. With an annual fee of $650, it’s worth questioning whether the free night certificate alone justifies the cost. Many excellent Marriott properties can be booked for significantly fewer points, which means you could achieve similar or even better value at a much lower cost with other cards or travel strategies. In my case, I actually forgot to cancel the card, so I ended up keeping it and needing to use the certificate before it expired. While I’m glad I got strong value out of this redemption, I’m still not convinced the annual fee and this particular benefit are worth it long-term, especially given the availability of luxurious properties at lower price points. The Marriott Platinum status benefit and $25 dining credit every month does offset some of the cost, but I’m not sure it offsets enough of it given that US properties don’t offer Platinum members a worthwhile free breakfast.