Luxury NYC Trip Recommendations
Aug 23, 2018, 12:51 pm
#31
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Asheville, NC
Programs: Virtuoso, FSPP, STARS, MO FAN Club, PEN Club, Bellini Club, Dorchester Diamond Club, Travel Leaders
Posts: 1,854
Can you talk about *where* in NYC you'd like to be and the *price point* you might have in mind? If your concern is hard product, I'd go for some of the newer options in New York. So if you can clarify your intent, we can help out!
What do you recommend in NYC to someone who basically only cares about hard product when I'm in a city where I understand the language? Focus on breakfast, location, bars, restaurants (pool would be amazing, but usually hard to find in the bigger western cities). I prefer entry level rooms or perhaps club level rooms over suites since I'm almost never in my room.
Aug 23, 2018, 1:07 pm
#32
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: HH Gold, SPG/Marriott Plat
Posts: 72
Oh and if the room could fit 3 it would be ideal, but not a must!
Aug 23, 2018, 1:30 pm
#33
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 120
I have lived in NYC for 13 years and perhaps can offer some insight.
If you are looking for a nice hotel and money is no object I would suggest:
-Ritz Carlton Central Park
-Mandarin Oriental in Time Warner Center
-Park Hyatt
I've personally stayed in the Ritz at Central Park (was a treat to my wife when we got engaged) and it was unbelievable. If you can get a room on the top floor with a park view then do it. Nothing like sipping coffee in the morning looking out at a view to central park.
For restaurants... so many good ones. NYC is one of the best food cities in the world. I've tried all of the ones in the list below. Again, I'm assuming money is no object as these are very expensive
-Jean Georges ($200+ per person)
-Per Se ($300+ per person)
-Sushi Yasuda ($100+ per person)
-Marea ($100+ per person)
-Nomad ($100+ per person)
will update this list when I have more time...
If you are looking for a nice hotel and money is no object I would suggest:
-Ritz Carlton Central Park
-Mandarin Oriental in Time Warner Center
-Park Hyatt
I've personally stayed in the Ritz at Central Park (was a treat to my wife when we got engaged) and it was unbelievable. If you can get a room on the top floor with a park view then do it. Nothing like sipping coffee in the morning looking out at a view to central park.
For restaurants... so many good ones. NYC is one of the best food cities in the world. I've tried all of the ones in the list below. Again, I'm assuming money is no object as these are very expensive
-Jean Georges ($200+ per person)
-Per Se ($300+ per person)
-Sushi Yasuda ($100+ per person)
-Marea ($100+ per person)
-Nomad ($100+ per person)
will update this list when I have more time...
Aug 23, 2018, 1:34 pm
#34
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Asheville, NC
Programs: Virtuoso, FSPP, STARS, MO FAN Club, PEN Club, Bellini Club, Dorchester Diamond Club, Travel Leaders
Posts: 1,854
but he wants "entry level" rooms — and entry level at RCCP is rather nondescript. I LOVE the Deluxe Central Park view rooms there, but they're not entry level.
Agree with MO and Park Hyatt.
Agree with MO and Park Hyatt.
Aug 23, 2018, 2:04 pm
#35
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,844
Downtown or close to a park sounds good. I'm very not familiar enough with the names of the parts of the city, I've lived midtown earlier (close walking distance to Times Square) and won't do that mistake again. I'm very open to suggestions locationwise. Budget 500-600 USD a night, I'll put most of my money towards dining
Oh and if the room could fit 3 it would be ideal, but not a must!
Oh and if the room could fit 3 it would be ideal, but not a must!
Aug 23, 2018, 2:22 pm
#37
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Downtown or close to a park sounds good. I'm very not familiar enough with the names of the parts of the city, I've lived midtown earlier (close walking distance to Times Square) and won't do that mistake again. I'm very open to suggestions locationwise. Budget 500-600 USD a night, I'll put most of my money towards dining
Oh and if the room could fit 3 it would be ideal, but not a must!
Oh and if the room could fit 3 it would be ideal, but not a must!
Aug 23, 2018, 3:25 pm
#38
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
If one looks for deals, there are occasionally promotions that will make entry level accommodation at some hotels available within that price range. It also is definitely possible if one has a friend with access to a corporate rate.
But if choice of hotel is going to affect budget for dining or shopping, I would consider good value four star options. Spending $800~$1,000++ per night isn’t necessarily the best bang for one’s buck.
But if choice of hotel is going to affect budget for dining or shopping, I would consider good value four star options. Spending $800~$1,000++ per night isn’t necessarily the best bang for one’s buck.
Aug 23, 2018, 10:14 pm
#40
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 120
In response to the OP (if he hasn’t already proposed...)
I highly recommend against renting some massive penthouse in a luxury hotel. That will literally run you over $50,000 for a single night. A much better move would be to just reserve four basic rooms in a luxury hotel (perhaps one a suite) and request that they are all adjoining. That will run you between $3000-$4000 depending on the property.
In regards to Lambi’s post:
I hate to say it, but at the $500-$600 price range you may want to consider the Trump International. The Trump name is basically despised in this city, but it is a well run luxury property, and the rates are probably really good as I’ve heard they’ve lost a lot business because of the current political climate. Location can’t be beat: 50ft from Central Park (one of the greatest parks in the world) and the best restaurants in NYC are all in walking distance (Marea, Jean Georges, Per Se, Masa).
If you want to stay in a luxury hotel in the Soho area that's super hip I recommend the Crosby street hotel. There's a private movie theater downstairs and sometimes they do private screenings for Hollywood celebrity parties. Around $700 - $800 a night so I don't know if that works for you
But honestly, if I were you, I’d look for a place that costs less so you can spend your money on all the amazing things to do in NYC. The London has, from what I understand, the best bang for your buck in terms of room size vs the cost. If you want to stay in the Lower East Side, 50 Bowery is a decent hotel that's not very expensive. Very nice views from what I remember, and a cool room design. Hotel service is basically non existent, but what do you need that for? You're in NYC!
my restaurant list:
(Cost is for food only PER PERSON, plan to add more for booze/wine. Also, 20% tip is customary in NYC for good service)
*note: make reservations. Some restaurants you can just walk into, some you can't. Many of these places book out three weeks for prime-time reservations slots.
Super fancy:
Jean Georges ($200pp)
Per Se($300pp)
Marea ($100pp)
Ai Fiori ($100pp)
Nomad ($100pp)
Aquavit ($150pp)
Daniel ($180pp)
Del Posto ($200pp)
Le Coucou ($110pp)
Casual and good food:
Orso ($60pp)
Esca ($90pp)
Nobu 57 ($100 pp)
ABC Kitchen ($60pp)
Piora ($90pp)
Alta ($70pp)
Kyo Ya ($100pp)
Sushi Yasuda ($120pp)
Root and Bone ($60pp)
Sushi Gari ($80pp)
Momofuku Ko ( ~$250pp I think)
Casa mono ($80pp) (best spanish wine list in the city)
L' Artusi ($80pp)
Dell'anima ($80pp)
Cookshop ($80pp)
Not fancy, but fun and decent food
Hill Country BBQ in Chelsea
Mighty Quinn’s LES
Shake Shack
No 7 Sandwich Shop near 28th street
Village Yokocho
Ssam Bar
Momofuku Noodle Bar
Yakitori Totto
Ippudo Ramen East Village
Cheeky's Sandwich Shop (real hole in the wall, but good sandwiches)
Don Antonio Pizza on 50th St & 8th Ave (get the montanara)
Parker and Quinn
Good for breakfast/brunch:
Sarabeths on Central Park South
Clinton St Bakery (go early, waits can be insane on the weekend)
Freemans off Rivington St in the LES (brunch only, not open for breakfast)
Goodnight Sonny (brunch only, not open for breakfast)
Balthazar
Bars/Lounges:
Employees Only (hard to get in)
Attaboy
Rains Law Room
Fat Cat (lots of pool tables and ping pong and fuseball)
Gallow Green
Refinery Hotel Rooftop Bar
Mezzrow jazz club
That ought to keep you busy!
I highly recommend against renting some massive penthouse in a luxury hotel. That will literally run you over $50,000 for a single night. A much better move would be to just reserve four basic rooms in a luxury hotel (perhaps one a suite) and request that they are all adjoining. That will run you between $3000-$4000 depending on the property.
In regards to Lambi’s post:
I hate to say it, but at the $500-$600 price range you may want to consider the Trump International. The Trump name is basically despised in this city, but it is a well run luxury property, and the rates are probably really good as I’ve heard they’ve lost a lot business because of the current political climate. Location can’t be beat: 50ft from Central Park (one of the greatest parks in the world) and the best restaurants in NYC are all in walking distance (Marea, Jean Georges, Per Se, Masa).
If you want to stay in a luxury hotel in the Soho area that's super hip I recommend the Crosby street hotel. There's a private movie theater downstairs and sometimes they do private screenings for Hollywood celebrity parties. Around $700 - $800 a night so I don't know if that works for you
But honestly, if I were you, I’d look for a place that costs less so you can spend your money on all the amazing things to do in NYC. The London has, from what I understand, the best bang for your buck in terms of room size vs the cost. If you want to stay in the Lower East Side, 50 Bowery is a decent hotel that's not very expensive. Very nice views from what I remember, and a cool room design. Hotel service is basically non existent, but what do you need that for? You're in NYC!
my restaurant list:
(Cost is for food only PER PERSON, plan to add more for booze/wine. Also, 20% tip is customary in NYC for good service)
*note: make reservations. Some restaurants you can just walk into, some you can't. Many of these places book out three weeks for prime-time reservations slots.
Super fancy:
Jean Georges ($200pp)
Per Se($300pp)
Marea ($100pp)
Ai Fiori ($100pp)
Nomad ($100pp)
Aquavit ($150pp)
Daniel ($180pp)
Del Posto ($200pp)
Le Coucou ($110pp)
Casual and good food:
Orso ($60pp)
Esca ($90pp)
Nobu 57 ($100 pp)
ABC Kitchen ($60pp)
Piora ($90pp)
Alta ($70pp)
Kyo Ya ($100pp)
Sushi Yasuda ($120pp)
Root and Bone ($60pp)
Sushi Gari ($80pp)
Momofuku Ko ( ~$250pp I think)
Casa mono ($80pp) (best spanish wine list in the city)
L' Artusi ($80pp)
Dell'anima ($80pp)
Cookshop ($80pp)
Not fancy, but fun and decent food
Hill Country BBQ in Chelsea
Mighty Quinn’s LES
Shake Shack
No 7 Sandwich Shop near 28th street
Village Yokocho
Ssam Bar
Momofuku Noodle Bar
Yakitori Totto
Ippudo Ramen East Village
Cheeky's Sandwich Shop (real hole in the wall, but good sandwiches)
Don Antonio Pizza on 50th St & 8th Ave (get the montanara)
Parker and Quinn
Good for breakfast/brunch:
Sarabeths on Central Park South
Clinton St Bakery (go early, waits can be insane on the weekend)
Freemans off Rivington St in the LES (brunch only, not open for breakfast)
Goodnight Sonny (brunch only, not open for breakfast)
Balthazar
Bars/Lounges:
Employees Only (hard to get in)
Attaboy
Rains Law Room
Fat Cat (lots of pool tables and ping pong and fuseball)
Gallow Green
Refinery Hotel Rooftop Bar
Mezzrow jazz club
That ought to keep you busy!
Last edited by ncsuactor84FT; Aug 24, 2018 at 9:05 am
Aug 24, 2018, 3:51 am
#41
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
In addition to Crosby Street Hotel, you could look at The Mercer and The Greenwich - entry level categories may be reasonably close to the price range you have stated, and the latter has a beautiful swimming pool.
There are occasionally deals at Peninsula, Ritz-Carlton Central Park, The Pierre, St.Regis, etc... that will bring entry level, interior view rooms down into that price range. Can be a very good deal relative to local price levels, where even subpar big box hotels are already expensive.
Chatwal and London have been mentioned. Those are good options which are generally priced reasonably.
I hate to say it - and I never really have liked the hotel - but Trump International could be a value proposition. In a sense, the locally reviled name/ownership works in your favor to drive prices down a bit. I still don’t think I could do it, would sooner pay more to stay somewhere nicer, but nonetheless it is an option...
There are occasionally deals at Peninsula, Ritz-Carlton Central Park, The Pierre, St.Regis, etc... that will bring entry level, interior view rooms down into that price range. Can be a very good deal relative to local price levels, where even subpar big box hotels are already expensive.
Chatwal and London have been mentioned. Those are good options which are generally priced reasonably.
I hate to say it - and I never really have liked the hotel - but Trump International could be a value proposition. In a sense, the locally reviled name/ownership works in your favor to drive prices down a bit. I still don’t think I could do it, would sooner pay more to stay somewhere nicer, but nonetheless it is an option...
Aug 24, 2018, 5:38 am
#42
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 676
Downtown or close to a park sounds good. I'm very not familiar enough with the names of the parts of the city, I've lived midtown earlier (close walking distance to Times Square) and won't do that mistake again. I'm very open to suggestions locationwise. Budget 500-600 USD a night, I'll put most of my money towards dining
Aug 24, 2018, 8:24 am
#43
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 120
You know, I just saw in another thread that you were looking to visit NYC in December. You have literally chosen the busiest time of year for NYC and hotels will be extremely expensive. The city is amazing in December... you will see Christmas decorations like no other city on earth, but you will pay A LOT if you want to stay in a luxury hotel during that time. Expect to pay at least $1000 per night in a luxury hotel. Just checked Mandarin Oriental and you're looking at $1300 a night.
So here's the thing... you can easily blow through $2500 a day having a great time in NYC... easily. And if you've got the cash, then go for it, but you can also spend 1/5th of that and have just as good a time. Having a luxury hotel is not as important in NYC... because you're not going to spend a lot of time in your room. It's just a crash pad. You really shouldn't even be eating breakfast in a NYC hotel. It's not like in Asia or the Philippines where they have these massive buffets... most NYC hotels (even the luxury ones) have very mediocre, overpriced breakfast options. You instead have literally 100+ breakfast options in the LES area that are unique, cool, and amazing, and are much better priced.
What I recommend: choose the restaurants, shows, bars, sights, etc that you want to do and then find a reasonably priced hotel that sits in close proximity to everything.
Since you'll be going in December a few other cool things that will be available:
-A City Singing at Christmas in St Patrick's Cathedral (if you like classic Christmas Songs)
-See the tree at Rockafeller Center
-Ice Skating in Rockefeller Center or Central Park
-Seeing the window decorations on 5th Ave (go VERY late at night... 1AM... or you will be swamped with massive crowds. Late night is the best time to see them)
-Visit the little pop-up shops by Columbus Circle
OK! Hope all this helps. Enjoy your time in NYC!
So here's the thing... you can easily blow through $2500 a day having a great time in NYC... easily. And if you've got the cash, then go for it, but you can also spend 1/5th of that and have just as good a time. Having a luxury hotel is not as important in NYC... because you're not going to spend a lot of time in your room. It's just a crash pad. You really shouldn't even be eating breakfast in a NYC hotel. It's not like in Asia or the Philippines where they have these massive buffets... most NYC hotels (even the luxury ones) have very mediocre, overpriced breakfast options. You instead have literally 100+ breakfast options in the LES area that are unique, cool, and amazing, and are much better priced.
What I recommend: choose the restaurants, shows, bars, sights, etc that you want to do and then find a reasonably priced hotel that sits in close proximity to everything.
Since you'll be going in December a few other cool things that will be available:
-A City Singing at Christmas in St Patrick's Cathedral (if you like classic Christmas Songs)
-See the tree at Rockafeller Center
-Ice Skating in Rockefeller Center or Central Park
-Seeing the window decorations on 5th Ave (go VERY late at night... 1AM... or you will be swamped with massive crowds. Late night is the best time to see them)
-Visit the little pop-up shops by Columbus Circle
OK! Hope all this helps. Enjoy your time in NYC!
Last edited by ncsuactor84FT; Aug 24, 2018 at 8:31 am
Aug 24, 2018, 8:27 am
#44
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
I just spent 4 nights in nyc at the Surrey. Quickly: it’s a nice UES hotel but there’s a reason it’s roomrats lag the Its neighbors. But for me NYc hotel doesn’t matter because we literally only slept in the hotel.
Fdw
Fdw
Aug 24, 2018, 8:34 am
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,048
You know, I just saw in another thread that you were looking to visit NYC in December. You have literally chosen the busiest time of year for NYC and hotels will be extremely expensive. The city is amazing in December... you will see Christmas decorations like no other city on earth, but you will pay A LOT if you want to stay in a luxury hotel during that time. Expect to pay at least $1000 per night in a luxury hotel. Just checked Mandarin Oriental and you're looking at $1300 a night.
So here's the thing... you can easily blow through $2500 a day having a great time in NYC... easily. And if you've got the cash, then go for it, but you can also spend 1/5th of that and have just as good a time. Having a luxury hotel is not as important in NYC... because you're not going to spend a lot of time in your room. It's just a crash pad. You really shouldn't even be eating breakfast in a NYC hotel. It's not like in Asia or the Philippines where they have these massive buffets... most NYC hotels (even the luxury ones) have very mediocre, overpriced breakfast options. You instead have literally 100+ breakfast options in the LES area that are unique, cool, and amazing, and are much better priced.
What I recommend: choose the restaurants, shows, bars, sights, etc that you want to do and then find a reasonably priced hotel that sits in close proximity to everything.
Since you'll be going in December a few other cool things that will be available:
-A City Singing at Christmas in St Patrick's Cathedral (if you like classic Christmas Songs)
-See the tree at Rockafeller Center
-Ice Skating in Rockefeller Center or Central Park
-Seeing the window decorations on 5th Ave (go VERY late at night... 1AM... or you will be swamped with massive crowds. Late night is the best time to see them)
-Visit the little pop-up shops by Columbus Circle
OK! Hope all this helps. Enjoy your time in NYC!
So here's the thing... you can easily blow through $2500 a day having a great time in NYC... easily. And if you've got the cash, then go for it, but you can also spend 1/5th of that and have just as good a time. Having a luxury hotel is not as important in NYC... because you're not going to spend a lot of time in your room. It's just a crash pad. You really shouldn't even be eating breakfast in a NYC hotel. It's not like in Asia or the Philippines where they have these massive buffets... most NYC hotels (even the luxury ones) have very mediocre, overpriced breakfast options. You instead have literally 100+ breakfast options in the LES area that are unique, cool, and amazing, and are much better priced.
What I recommend: choose the restaurants, shows, bars, sights, etc that you want to do and then find a reasonably priced hotel that sits in close proximity to everything.
Since you'll be going in December a few other cool things that will be available:
-A City Singing at Christmas in St Patrick's Cathedral (if you like classic Christmas Songs)
-See the tree at Rockafeller Center
-Ice Skating in Rockefeller Center or Central Park
-Seeing the window decorations on 5th Ave (go VERY late at night... 1AM... or you will be swamped with massive crowds. Late night is the best time to see them)
-Visit the little pop-up shops by Columbus Circle
OK! Hope all this helps. Enjoy your time in NYC!
