New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [229]
Mega-hotelier Ian Schrager’s properties are design temples, with chic lounges favored by jet-setters and locals alike. The new “haute Bohemian” Gramercy Park Hotel (Union Square/Gramercy) is Schrager’s latest offering, with its popular—and pricey—Rose Bar and Jade Bar. The hotel also features a private members- and guests-only Roof Club. The Ace Hotel (Union Square/Flatiron) is the sweet spot du jour, with one bar in the eclectic lobby and another at the trendy Breslin restaurant, and also an outpost of Stumptown coffee if you need to sober up.
The Standard (Greenwich Village/Meatpacking District) has a happening bar scene at the Standard Grill. The 18th-floor lounge is a tough row to hoe unless you’re a friend of the owner, but downstairs you can also sip suds in the outdoor beer garden, which is more egalitarian, and frankly, a lot more fun—they’ve even got Ping-Pong tables. It’s also open year-round now.
On the Lower East Side, the Lobby Bar in the Bowery Hotel (Lower East Side) is a Wes Anderson movie come to life, with worn velvet furniture, Persian rugs, an assortment of taxidermy, and a back patio that harbors some of the most coveted summertime tables in the neighborhood. Nearby at the Cooper Square (Lower East Side), the Second Floor Bar has a hammered metal bar top and tall glass windows that let the sunlight stream in. It’s one of the nicer spots for daytime libation—take it outside to one of the cushioned, low-slung settees if weather permits. In Midtown, the new, Art Deco–designed Chatwal (Midtown West) has a hopping lobby scene with drinks by cocktail guru Sasha Petraske and an elegant second-floor bar decorated with whimsical touches that are a paean to classic New York (look for the shimmering light fixtures shaped like the Chrysler Building).
The Room Mate Grace (Midtown West and Chelsea) in Times Square has a bar that’s adjacent to its lobby-level pool; you can see all the underwater action through voyeur windows above the bar. Just make sure to pay attention at the end of the evening, or you might be the hotel’s next swimming sensation. At the Mandarin Oriental on Columbus Circle (Midtown West), the 35th-floor lounge is a clutch location for soaking in views of Central Park; grab a perch on a cozy leather couch (and ask the concierge to make you a reservation if you’re planning ahead—it gets busy on evenings and weekends).
ROMANTIC RETREATS
As the English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh once wrote, “Romance is a love affair in other than domestic surroundings.” Indeed, many high-end hotels seem custom-built for romance, with plush feather beds, silky linens, and ultrasoft robes. But some properties go above and beyond in catering to couples, offering services like bath butlers and in-room massage services. Here’s our pick of the city’s best spots for an intimate getaway.
At the Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park (Lower Manhattan) your wish is their command. Take advantage of lower-than-normal weekend rates to book a Liberty Suite, with sweeping views of the Statue of Liberty. With a quick call to the concierge you can arrange to have champagne and strawberries waiting in your room when you arrive. A bath butler can then fill your marble tub with a potion of bath oils and flower petals. If you’re here in February, don’t miss a trip to the penthouse Chocolate Bar, with its aphrodisiac chocolate-and-champagne buffet.
The Inn at Irving Place (Union Square/Gramercy) does romance the old-fashioned way, with four-poster beds, fireplaces, fur throws, and plenty of privacy in an elegant 1800s brownstone. The complimentary breakfast is served on fine bone china either in the cozy sitting room or in bed.
The 23,000-square-foot Bliss Spa at W New York (Midtown East and Upper East Side), on Lexington Avenue, is an urban oasis, with men’s and women’s lounges, a gym, and a full menu of facial and body treatments, massage, waxing, and nail services. Couples can spend a full day being pampered and pedicured in the spa