Stay Here: Sofitel, NY

This week I stayed for the night at the Sofitel Hotel in NY.  Located on 44th between 5th and 6th, it was not only convenient, but at $409/night, it was not expensive by NY standards for a really large room.  I'd recommend it wholeheartedly.  Check it out.

Lobby restaurant.

Large, comfortable room.

Love lighting and I want this lamp.

Gaby Bar makes great martinis.

Stay Here: NoMad Hotel, NYC

I just got off a whirlwind tour online of the NoMad Hotel in NYC.  I am heading to NY on Monday for a business meeting and plan to check this out.  Very cool space, Very cool rooms.  Very cool prices too!  The description at the website for the location is:

The hotel is located in the heart of the historic NoMad neighborhood (North of Madison Square Park). Bordered by the Flatiron District and Gramercy Park to the South, Chelsea to the West, and Midtown/Times Square to the North, The NoMad Hotel is centrally located to the best the City has to offer. Ideally situated between the East and West sides of the City, the hotel is convenient to most areas, including SoHo, Greenwich Village and the Meatpacking District.

WEBSITE

 

Th best part of the website, aside from the cool design, is the spectacular photography.  All photos following from the website and Courtesy of The NoMad Hotel NYC.  Enjoy.  I will.

The Front Desk

Spectacular Cuisine

Room Detail

Get Used To This

How Suite

Dining

The Library

Rooftop

Views

The Neighborhood

The Bar

Stay: The Standard, NY

Overlooking the waters edge

I recently stayed in NY at The Standard Hotel in the Meat Packing district.  Sounds grimy and gritty, right?  No.  Diane Von Furstenberg, Hugo Boss, many upscale designers call the area home.  It is filled with unbelievably beautiful people and I was surprised.  The Concierge told me that it was a haven for models, euro visitors and well heeled US visitors as well.  And at prices that are palatable for me, $375 a night for a postage stamp sized room was OK!  The larger suites are commensurately more expensive running around $1000 a night.

Looks a bit like an alien spaceship has landed

 One note: the staff were all well under 30 as was most of the clientele.  I remarked to my travel companion that I had luggage older than most of the people we encountered there.

I didn't get a suite like this

The view from my room

 The Diane von Furstenberg glass penthouse atop the building housing her showroom was unbelieveable.

The glass dome is the DVF building.

View across to NJ

Interesting carpet in the hallways.

Eats On The Road: Amuse Restaurant at Le Meridien, Philadelphia

I was recently in Philadelphia working at a conference. Everyone who has attended a conference knows that food is sometimes troublesome around a convention center.  I lucked out.  Within a 2 block walk was the lovely Le Méridien Philadelphia.

The restaurant, Amuse, was really nice with a great color scheme, attentive staff and a memorable menu.

A toasty hot, French baguette served with lavender scented French butter was almost a meal in itself. Now I understand the whole "French butter" thing.  Really.  It's different.

Loving the interior. Serene, but not stark. The staff never made you feel like they wanted to "turn" the table.  I went back three times. I'll go back again.

My seat was on the banquette nearest the window.  Best seat in the house.  Love this hotel.