I know this is largely an unanswerable query, but I am looking for someplace nice but not outrageous for a trip with the better half next month. My business is in midtown, but while I am engaged, SWMBO is going to be all over the city, I suspect, and so I am less concerned about location than I am trying to avoid a typical large chain hotel experience. My usual haunts in mid-town when there on business are the Parker Meridian and the London (a little down on its heels the last time I was there), and when I am downtown I stay at the Conrad for convenience sake, but am looking for Manhattan suggestions I might not otherwise think of. Suggestions, that is, that aren’t $700/night.
This might be too out of the way for you – but if you don’t mind being in the middle of SoHo – I had a great stay about a year ago at this super tiny boutique hotel, which was absolutely lovely! (great complementary breakfast with pastries from balthazar)
Westhouse was good last year.
The Muse Hotel is interesting and Room 1504 corner suite comes with a large outdoor patio area in the middle of midtown.
Try Magellan Travel/Newyorkcityluxuryhotels.com for interesting hotels and occasional interesting deals. It’s a phone service with internet display, not a website you book from. They know the hotels very well.They told me about the room at the Muse.
If sleeping under the stars sounds nice, I have spare space. The nightly rate is free, and so is the wine.
A long-time friend is visiting me this weekend, and I have put her up at the Iberostar, on 37th and Park. I will afterwards report how it is.
Otherwise, consider the Shelburne Hotel, on 37th and Lexington.
Gramercy Park Hotel - Convenient to Union Sq subways, Maialino downstairs (breakfast there is excellent and a good BYO policy for later in the day)
The NOMAD
The Ace Hotel (shares a kitchen with The Breslin…)
SOHO Grand
Gansevoort
Baccarat
Totally different. If you want seafood then Marea. Maialino does wonderous things with piggy as well as other meats. Ray doesn’t eat piggy so he’s missing out. Salumni choices also excellent at Maialino. Pastas excellent at both. I think you should go to Marea for lunch and Maialino for dinner.
I was at Maialino just a few weeks ago, had a fantastic meal with the suckling pig as the centerpiece. They have a salt baked sea bass for two that could take its place. The breakfast frittata there is a thing of beauty as well. The ambiance is really nice and really relaxed.
Marea has that fusilli which is a main course I dream of (and a whole long menu that is equally awesome) Le Bernadin is amazing of course but it is where I’d take my aging aunt for a fancy meal…
And if I recall from a long ago thread…
Katz’s… and if you can’t get to Houston St… Sarge’s Deli on 3rd Ave 36th-37th St. And for a slightly different take - Harry & Ida’s Meat Shop Avenue A by 12th St
While I agree with you that the menu at Marea is much better suited for a Pescatarian, unless the pasta at Maialino has recently been significantly upgraded, I don’t think there is a comparison in that food category. That said, while I haven’t had any of the meat dishes at Maialino, I’ve heard from many that they are top notch.
I’d skip Le Bernardin, although I recently had a surprisingly excellent wine auction lunch there.