It doesn’t get much geekier than hotel rooms organized by the Dewey Decimal System. Yet this is exactly what you’ll find at The Library Hotel in New York City, a swank, yet cozy boutique hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

Whether you love books in general, or there’s a specific topic you’re interested in, The Library Hotel has a perfect room for you. Each of their ten floors is dedicated to one of the ten Classifications of Knowledge: Social Sciences, Literature, Languages, History, Math & Science, General Knowledge, Technology, Philosophy, and The Arts and Religion.

With 60 rooms in all, there’s everything from a Biography room, to a Fairy Tale room, to an Astronomy room. Each contains books on that topic and is tastefully decorated accordingly, so you can feel surrounded by it without being overwhelmed. In addition to standard hotel room features, there are those that go the extra mile to make your stay comfy and pleasant, like the complimentary terrycloth slippers that come with your room, the Library Hotel bathrobes that are yours to use for the length of your stay, and little handwritten cards that come with your turndown service indicating the weather forecast so that you can plan for the following day.

Wanna watch a movie? Each room has a DVD player, and there’s an extensive DVD collection including all of the AFI Top 100 Films. Need to get out of your room? There’s a Writer’s Den on the top floor with enormous couches, and a lovely glass-enclosed Poetry Garden, both of which provide indoor and outdoor seating and are great, quiet places to sit and relax, or get some quality reading and writing done. There’s also a small business center with computer/printer access.

Hungry? The Reading Room on the 2nd Floor is accessible 24-hours a day, and is stocked not only with a wide selection of books, periodicals, guide books, and a piano, but with baked goods, fruit, hot and cold beverages, and other snacks throughout the day. They also provide you with a well-stocked continental breakfast every morning, and a complimentary wine and cheese reception every evening.

The Pros:
- Everyone from the Front Desk to housekeeping is friendly and incredibly helpful. I had a problem during check-in, and the staff not only resolved it efficiently, but never once made me feel as if I were being a burden or a nuisance. Calls for things from the Front Desk were always answered quickly, and I watched as other guests who’d been staying longer than I were treated like friends by the end of their stay, with staff asking them about their lives as if they’ve known them forever.

- While the hotel is fancy-pants, each guest – no matter what their status or background – is treated with respect and courtesy. A variety of people came through the Reading Room and past the Front Desk every day; some of whom looked well-off, others less so. I’m certainly not. And yet there was never the feeling that someone didn’t belong. Again, the staff rocks my socks. Also, the rooms are gorgeous without being imposing. They’re rooms you can actually live in.

- You make up the price of the rooms by not needing a huge food budget. The fact that so much food is included in the cost of your stay means that you can save money on meals. While they do have room service, a restaurant, a hotel bar, and minibars in every room, you don’t have to pay for any of it in order to be well-fed, and you won’t have to spend money on eating out.

- Passes to the New York Sports Club are included in your reservation. So, after eating all that food and drinking all that wine, you can work it off.

- Location: easy walking distance to Times Square means you can catch a subway/bus to anywhere in the city.

The Cons:

- The price of the rooms might be too much for some geeks. But the computer programmers who can drop $600 on a personalized bat’leth or a limited-edition bust of their favorite comic book character at NYCC or Big Apple Con will have less of a problem.

- While there are plenty of books to choose from throughout the hotel, they’re chosen more to maintain the old-library aesthetic of the hotel than for relevance or timeliness. You may have already read many of the books on the shelves.

- You can call the Front Desk for everything, which might seem like a pro until you have to call them every single time you want ice. Sometimes, you just want an ice machine on your floor so you can get it yourself, you know?

Geek Cred:

- It’s a LIBRARY. THEMED. HOTEL. Come ON! Books on every subject all over the place.

- They only have the original Star Wars trilogy in their DVD collection, not the prequels! Take that, Jar-Jar!

- Free wi-fi throughout the hotel, so you and your internet-ready device of choice can hang out anywhere you like.

- iHome MP3 dock/alarm clocks in every room, so don’t fret if you left your iPod charger at home.

Geek Girl Traveler’s Final Verdict:

MAKE IT SO! If you can swing it, The Library Hotel is a wonderful place for one night, or for a more extended stay. Check out their website, follow them on Twitter, or “like” them on Facebook to keep track of special deals and events throughout the year!

GEEK GIRL TRAVELER NYCC DISCOUNT: If you’re making plans to visit NYC in October for New York Comic Con, consider staying at The Library Hotel. If you’re booking a room for October 13-16 (or any time during NYCC weekend), mention the code “CHINASHOP”, and you’ll get 12% off the Best Flexible rates (based on availability)! This applies to reservations made via their WEBSITE ONLY. A 3-day cancellation would apply.

Words and photos by Teresa Jusino. Follow Geek Girl Traveler on Twitter.