Favorite NYC Hotels for Special Occasions and Celebrations

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I love staying in hotels.  I don’t always necessarily stay in luxury hotels, especially now that I often travel with kids in tow. But there have been those moments when I have had the pleasure of experiencing that part of the New York life, whether it be for an anniversary, or a wedding, or just a nice escape with my husband not too far from home, without the kids.

Thus, I am dedicating this post to the experience of a NYC hotel, on those special occasions when a little splurging, maybe without the kids, is exactly what you are looking for.  These are some of my favorite (albeit not necessarily kid-friendly, nor inexpensive) hotels here, where, when I have had the fortune to be a guest there, I felt like I was living the best New York City dream ever. And though I am only listing a few here, there are way many others that are also great. These just always stand out, in my mind, as my favorites because of the happy memories I have attached to them.

Let’s start off with The Carlyle on the Upper East Side: Why? Well, this is one of the “Oooh” “Ahhh” types of places in New York that hits you from the moment you walk in.  First off, I love the Upper East Side, I’ve written about the many reasons why here before, but it’s worth repeating, it’s an awesome neighborhood.  With museums such as the Met, as well as Central Park on one side and the East River on the other, not to mention wonderful eateries, bars, and shops, if you have the over $500 to spend a night, a lot more during high season, for a magical, high end hotel experience, than I would say this is it.

The Ritz Carlton in Battery Park. I stayed here for my brother’s wedding, and I didn’t want to leave. Maybe it was the soft, comfortable, fabulous robes and towels and sheets to great service to the delicious food (oh, their made-to-order omelettes are amazing!) or maybe it was the being able to say, “I had brunch with Queen Latifa at The Ritz” (ok, well, I didn’t have brunch with her, but rather in the same restaurant, about a table away from her, and she doesn’t know me, but…well, you know what I mean.) They recently finished renovations at The Ritz Carlton, something that was ongoing even while I stayed there. And yet, even then it was am amazing experience, I can’t even imagine now that all the work is done.

On top of that, if you feel oh so inclined to leave your hotel, you are steps away from Battery Park and other great visitors destinations, including, but not limited to, the ferry to Liberty Island. I stayed here with my kids, and yes, it was wonderful. Everyone was absolutely lovely to them and provided us with all we needed for complete comfort.

The Cooper Square Hotel: this hotel is definitely in party zone.  It’s location in the East Village makes it a perfect catering hotspot for the partying crowd. But nevertheless, it remains a fab hotel if for no other reason than it’s trendy, hip location. It is also an awesome place to gather with friends for drinks (and people watching) and architecturally the hotel is stunning.  It isn’t at all a “family” hotel, I can’t imagine staying here with my little ones. But if you are without kids and are looking for a fun stay, this is the place for you. A short distance from SoHo, Union Square, as well as the NYU Campus, this is  young and hip all the way.

The Hudson: Again, not really what I would call a kid-friendly hotel.  It’s a bit dark and the rooms are über small. This is very much a designer hotel, that’s just cool to be able to experience, at least once, at some point while in New York City. One of the few hotels in New York City with the Philippe Stark design (another Philippe Stark design favorite of mine is The Paramount Hotel, where rooms are also small, though not as much, but very chic) and where the point is that you really won’t be in your room too often.  This is a good thing considering not only the size of the rooms, but also the fabulous locations of the hotel, where there is tons to do.

Lastly, The Gansevoort in Chelsea: I have never stayed in this one, but have gone to a party or two on their roof top and can tell you, it is gorgeous. Being that it is in Chelsea, you can expect that it will be somewhat noisy and busy.  But if you are just going in to meet friends for a drink, this is a perfect location, especially if the occasion calls for some cocktails, on the roof top, on a stunning, clear, NYC night.

These are but a handful of my favorites on anniversaries, or birthdays, or other special moments when the treat to stay at a wonderful hotel in New York City is called for. If you have the option to stay for more than one night, I say enjoy it to the fullest. If the option only allows for a shorter stay, or just a visit to the bar with friends, I say enjoy it just the same. And if you haven’t ever considered it, I say do. You won’t regret it. So gift yourself a hotel stay in NYC, and maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll even brunch with a celebrity or two!

Happy Adventures!

This is a TravelingMom dedicated post.

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