Recently stayed at the Gansevoort South for a weekend taking advantage of the $99/night special the hotel was offering while under construction. We had two rooms which were nearly identical. One room had a partial ocean view.
Check-in was easy and the desk staff was friendly. The concierges at the hotel were very helpful in providing information about local restaurants and nightlife. The lobby was very nice. I didn't see sharks in the fish tank, but plenty of tropical fish. Free internet access on several computers in the business center, which was great.
The rooms were new, large, very clean and modern. The beds were extremely comfortable. Large, flat-screen TVs, clock/radio with ipod dock, and a cd player with the Gansevoort's own cd for listening. The bathrooms were large and clean with giant shower stalls.
The rooftop pool was beautiful and not very crowded in the morning and early afternoons. Staff was attentive and provided lounge chair covers and towels. At night the rooftop transforms into a bar/lounge.
The David Barton gym is not yet open, so several adjoining rooms have been set up as a temporary gym with treadmills and cardio equipment, dumbbells and several machines.
The "beach club" was deserted and under construction, but the beach in front of the hotel was uncrowded and peaceful. For guests of the hotel, lounge chairs, umbrellas and towels are free. In addition, each room has a beach bag with 2 large beach towels for guest use.
All in all, we were very pleased with the Gansevoort South. We clearly understood that the hotel was not yet finished which was the reason for our bargain rate. But for large, clean and comfortable rooms, an eager (if slightly inexperienced) staff, and a good location on the northern end of South Beach, it was a real winner.
