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I'll help you organize & plan your NYC trip. All you have to do is choose which Manolo's to pack and sip your cosmo. My tips, secrets and sparkles will leave no room for FOMO. Come hang with me. Let's create live long memories on these famous avenues.

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October 18, 2021

5 Tips to choose your hotel in NYC

'I don't like the idea that one hotel could be better than another. In any city, I try to find a hotel that has the identity of that place - Claridge's in London, the Danieli or Cipriani in Venice. In New York, I stay at the Mercer Hotel; it is so much in the character of SoHo.'

Jean Nouvel
Which hotel would you recommend?
 
It’s one of the most asked questions when planning a NYC trip.
Choosing a hotel is not like mathematics. There is more than one correct answer. There are literally hundreds! And just like colors, not everyone likes pink (I know! I’m baffled too!), the opinion about hotel rooms is very personal. 
 
So here are 5 tips to help you find the perfect hotel according your wishes! 

Tip 1: Location, location, location!

This one tip counts for 3!
 
Trust me it’s that important! It’s like real estate. The better the location, the higher the demand…the higher the price. Luckily for you, NYC offer hotels at all price levels. And when you look a bit further, you’ll find great location and great price! 
 
Firstly, let’s talk areas.
Planning a trip in which 90% is spend in the Financial District, I would not recommend a hotel in the Bronx :). You figured that out already? Didn’t you? 
 
Before you choose a hotel, make a rough program to see where you’ll spend most of your time. (You can read a few trips on planning here and here.) Are you planning a daily run around J.K. Onassis Reservoir the Upper East Side or the Upper West Side is your area to look for a hotel.
 
On top, the hotel area is the area you’ll explore the most. Walking around for morning coffee. Discovering little hidden gems near your hotel. I stay in a different area each time I visit. This helps me to really get to know each neighborhood better. 
 
First timers look for a hotel in Midtown. Many major sightseeing locations are just a few blocks away. But keep in mind so are many tourists ;). 
 
Got something better in store for you! Look a bit further than just Manhattan. Like say…Long Island City! Don’t run away! I’ll explain. 
 
Location, location, location. Not just the area of the hotel. But also the few blocks around the hotel. If it’s located near a subway stop, you are in business! It takes you anywhere. Anytime. So no need the spend all your money on a Manhattan hotel. Just put some on the OMNY card and use the rest for cocktails at 230 5th! You are welcome ;)! 
 
The subway is just down the street at the Paper Factory Hotel and takes you to Midtown in 10 minutes. 
 
Tip: use Google Maps to see if there are any subway stops near your hotel. 
 
The Paper Factory Hotel, 7-06 36th St, Long Island City

Tip 4: Budget

I’ll admit! This girl dreams of staying at the Mandarin Oriental, but till I win the lottery I have to ask myself the same question as you…

What do you want to spend?
 
We have to talk numbers when booking hotels. And that number is different for everyone. So no judging here. Personally I prefer extra spending money so I don’t go for highend hotels. Instead I look for a hotel with a great deal. I always tell myself: ‘you will only be there to sleep. Spend your money wisely’. 
 
I’m not good with spending money wisely! Spending money. Yes. Spending it wisely. No.
 
So I need some help from a friend. In this case, my friend is called Connections!
 
‘A travel agency? Why? You can book online!’ I hear your thinking! But trust me on this. You will be as addicted as I am! 
 
Cause honey, haven’t you learned anything from Covid? Low cost agencies (and flights) turn out high cost in many cases. You don’t want to read all the horror stories of people loosing all their travel money after booking online or with a low cost agency. No, you don’t have to agree with me. But if you are living in the Belgian area, trust me Connections is your go to! #notsponsored #reallylovethem
 
Great deals! Best service! Amazing advice! Great staff! You can thank me later!
 
Not living in the area? Do check their site for some hotel inspiration. 
 
A budget hotel I love is BW Bowery Hanbee. The rooms are rather big, at least for NYC standards ;). Great location. No correction. Amazing location!! Near a subway. And most importantly just a few blocks from all time favorites like Pietro Nolita and Sézane ;)….
You do want to have breakfast elsewhere…you can’t have it all for this money. 
 
Sites like Booking.com and Agoda will give you the option to explore hotels based on the money you want to spend. A great filter to limit the choices. But before you book through those kind of sites, make sure to check the hotel itself. It might give you more value for the same money! Read: upgrade it is! 
 
Check out my Pinterest board for some hotel inspiration. 
 
Mandarin Oriental, 80 Columbus Circle, NYC
BW Bowery Hanbee, 231 Grand Street, NYC 

Tip 5: Reviews vs Recommendations

I don’t know about you. But reviews stress me out! Big time! All these people having different opinions about the same place! Arhgh! Who to believe? 
Had the reviewer a bad day when writing it? Or was the concierge going through a really bad break up? Or was the stay really hell? I’ll never know! 
 
The other day I met someone who was madly in love with the Jane Hotel.
I hated my stay there! Really! Never ever again*. Smallest rooms ever, bad heating that could not be controlled, lots of noise. She on the other hand goes there every time. It’s her all time favorite. 
Reviews really depend on what you as a traveller value & need and how the specific hotel answers those. Please keep that in mind when reading the opinions of online strangers having a bad Monday cause they are no longer in NYC ;). 
 
*FYI, this hotel was booked based after a Google search…I still had a few things to learn back then. 
 
The Jane Hotel, 113 Jane Street, NYC 

What is your favorite NYC hotel? Let me know in the comments!

Always in an Empire State of Mind,

xoxo, 

B

PS: What about Airbnb? Well…renting on short term (under 30 days) is rather complicated and not 100% legal in NYC. So make sure everything is legit before you book. There are plenty of Craigslist memes to prove the questaionably off rental ads.…  

You are warned, but if you like traveling on the edge. You go honey! 

IN A RUSH? PIN IT FOR LATER!

IN A RUSH? PIN IT FOR LATER!

July 21, 2021

How to enjoy a New York City Luxury Hotel without staying in one: 5 must visit hotels

"I'm not a stop along the way. I'm the destination."

Blair Waldorf
Oh, luxury hotels…You probably know a few by name even if you havent stayed in one before. 
 
The Carlyle, The St Regis, Four Seasons,…famous names with big reputations! Some you can even live in. Tommy Hilfiger for example is a resident in The Plaza.
 
Dreaming of one day casually saying I live in the same ‘building’ as Tommy. Till then, I’ll just wine & dine at the Plaza…Cause you don’t have to stay in a hotel to enjoy their restaurants. 
 
In New York City many hotels invest to make sure their restaurant is high level and will attract locals and tourists alike. As a tourist this is great! Cause the atmosphere rises through the rooftop when there is a mixture of locals and tourists. 
 
Speaking of rooftops…
 
Not only do hotels offer great restaurants, their rooftops are just as AMAZING! I know! Before you know it, you don’t even want to leave!
 
Here are a few of my favorite hotels to enjoy without staying for the night.
 

Hotel 1: The Mandarin Oriental

"Certain hotels get it. A lot of hotels don't. Mandarin Oriental gets it every time."

Liam Neeson
Oh, The Mandarin…
 
If I could, I would move in here. The luxurious interior, the view, the location! But most of all. The staff. Everyone you encounter at the Mandarin will make you feel welcome. 
 
I’ve had the pleasure of staying at the Mandarin in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Best Hotel Ever. EVER. I haven’t had the luck to sleep in her New York sister. But she sure is on my bucket list. 
 
Instead I’ll have breakfast and enjoy the view: Columbus Circle and Central Park will entertain you while enjoying the finest pastries. Tables near the window are reserved for hotel guests only. But trust me, 2nd row is still pretty damn amazing!
 
I said it before, everyone working here will treat you like a princess. And they are more than happy to take your picture. 
 
PS: if the window tables are free, grab your chance and snap some pictures. You want to have them! Trust me!

Hotel 2: The Plaza

Famous from a movie scene.
 
You know The Plaza. I know the Plaza. We all know The Plaza.
This Queen has played a role in countless movies & tv shows. Probably most famous for Home Alone 2. Carrie and her friends loved to hang out in the hotel and area too. 
 
This beauty just reopened her majestic stairs on 5th. So walk your Manolo’s right into the Palm Court for high tea
      – the perfect break after shopping in Bergdorf Goodman.
 
The stained glass dome is the real highlight of the greenery interior. So don’t forget to look up while sipping your tea!
Looking for some buzz? Take the escalator down to the Plaza Food Hall. All you have to do is choose from all the delicious options…
 
Whatever you do in The Plaza, take time to enjoy the beautiful flower arrangements in the foyer. Picture perfect!
 
 

Hotel 3: The Wythe Hotel

Like a Parisian in Williamsburgh. That’s exactly how you’ll feel dining in Le Crocodile. Don’t go home yet! Have a cocktail at the rooftop from the Whyte Hotel. Cosmo’s and the New York Skyline. A combo that never gets old! 
 
I know, I know. The Whyte Hotel isn’t as old-fashioned luxurious as the others in this list. But the French je ne sais quoi touch makes it contemporary fancy nevertheless! 
 
 

Hotel 4 & 5: The Lotte New York Plaza & The Empire

Hello Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here. 
 
Both hotels are main stars in Gossip Girl. The Empire, located in the Upper West Side, is the home of the one and only Chuck Bass. Whether or not you are Team Bass, the rooftop here is worth your visit. The views over Lincoln Center and Central Park are sublime!
 
The real bonus??? They serve breakfast and brunch! I know! Eggs Benedict while wondering what Blair would do. 
 
Like most rooftops Friday and Saturdays are for dancing. But if you are really going wild, book a private cabana on the pool deck. Spoiling has no limits at The Empire. It’s called The Empire after all…
 
Back to The Upper East Side for yet another brunch favorite. The Lotte New York Plaza. The hotel where Dan more than once waited for Serena to get ready.
 
Like Gossip Girl said: “Breakfast is brunch and it comes with champagne, a dress code, and a hundred of our closest friends.”
 
Not into brunch? The Gold Room and Trouble’s Trust have an amazing menu too. All of them overlooking St Patricks Cathedral. 
No reservations? Don’t you worry.  The courtyard is picture perfect whether or not it’s Christmas time.  
 

Tell me in the comments. Which luxurious hotel is on your bucket list? Are you planning some fancy brunch too? 

Read my post on dining here to make sure you get the perfect table. 

Always in an Empire State of Mind,

xoxo, 

B

PS: The Megan Hess personalities are my vision on how I would love to look hanging out in one of the above hotels. A girl can dream, don’t you agree? 

Drawing by Megan Hess

Nice to meet you! I’m Birgit.
NYC addict, pink lover, Robbie Williams for ever ever, a bit of a Charlotte but always wondering what Blair would do, Sauvignon at the bar after the barre.
Welcome to my little piece of NYC heaven online. Let’s conquer these famous streets together.

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