New York City - the city that doesn’t sleep and has something for everyone! Whether you’re there for business or vacation, the world is at your fingertips and you can create any experience! By day you will probably be busy exploring the city’s many attractions or busy in meetings, but by night you may be looking for a change of pace. Whether you’re looking to calm things down, engage with other visitors, or step it up a notch, the hotel you’re staying at will play a big role in the overall experience in a city. While I was in New York City, I had the luxury of experiencing three hotels which showed me three completely different sides of New York City.
Duane St. Hotel - TriBeCa | Calm
If you’re staying at the Duane Street Hotel, consider it an extension of your home. Located between Downtown and SoHo, this 43 room boutique hotel makes any guest feel right at home. Designed with a chic and eclectic feel, like that of a Parisian hotel in the 1920’s, Duane Street Hotel allows you to be at the center of the excitement, while being tucked away in the quiet neighborhood TriBeCa.
Frequently visited by international travelers and corporate guests, you’ll find the crowd staying at Duane Street Hotel to be fairly established and looking to disconnect from the scene after the night is over. Because of its size, you’ll quickly become close friends with the staff as they will become your extended family and work to make your trip to NYC as seamless as possible.
From the warm greeting you receive when arriving “home” to the warm feeling you get when crawling into bed, the Duane Street Hotel is all about the details. No corners are cut at this hotel. Even though you may not be paying attention, the hotel staff is. From Scandia bed linens to only green/organic soaps and detergents, Duane Street Hotel only uses the quality products you would want in your own home. If you have a tendency to lean towards hotels with a list of guest services, don’t let the size of this hotel fool you. Duane Street Hotel has a partnership with Equinox Gym, where you can work out at no cost, right down the street and utilize the spa and classes for a small fee just like other hotels. If there is a service missing from your routine, just let the staff know and they will find a solution for you in no time.
In a city that is going 24 hours a day/7 days a week, it’s nice to have a space that can calm you at the end of the day in New york City. Say hello to the agent at the front desk, pick up a small treat that they have set out, and head up to you room where you’ll find yourself taking in a deep breath and exhaling the stress from the day away at the Duane Street Hotel.
Calming Activities Nearby: If you have down time and you’re looking to get lost in the TriBeCa neighborhood, I recommend checking out one of the following. Phillip Williams Posters (postermuseum.org) offers the largest original poster shop in the country. With posters from 1920’s to historical posters, there are three levels of posters to explore. If you’re into reading, check out the Mysterious Bookshop (mysteriousbookshop.com) and pick up the next great novel. You can also stop by New York Vintners (newyorkvintners.com) to pick up a rare vintage bottle of wine. This will definitely help calm you down at the end of the day!
TRYP Hotel by Wyndham - Times Square | Connected
In a city with so many people, it’s easy to visit and get lost in a place like New York City. Whether you’re traveling alone, or with another person, it’s a always a great feeling to meet the locals and interact with other travelers. Pulling from cultures in Europe and South America, TRYP NYC has created a unique hotel experience that ensures its visitors feel connected, and a part of the community, from the second they check into the hotel!
TRYP Hotel by Wyndham, in New York City, is the first of it’s kind in the United States. While TRYP hotels are primarily in Europe and South America, TRYP NYC has introduced concepts like communal dining, tapas, and a social network unique to the hotel to ensure their guests feel a part of their TRYP NYC community at all times. Whether you’re looking to message one of the guests also staying in the hotel, or ask the staff a question about what to do in the city, the Lobby Friend Social Network on the blog wall will keep you connected to the pulse of what’s happening. Even if you don’t feel like adventuring outside of the hotel, you will always find a great scene in the hotel’s Gastro Bar @ 35th where people are talking, eating, and enjoying live music on select nights throughout the week. Pull up a chair, join a conversation, and you will likely make a few new friends.
Located just minutes from Times Square and Penn Station, you can’t help but feel a part of the community when you step outside of the hotel. Just far enough from the craziness of Times Square, you still have easy access to all the great attractions, theatre, restaurants, and bars that New York City has to offer. Even when you’re out exploring New York City, you can access the Lobby Friend Social Network through your smartphone and connect with the staff if you’re lost or need a quick suggestion.
TRYP NYC was designed with you in mind. Whether you’re staying in one of their Fitness rooms, or their Samsung Experience Room, the hotel was built to keep the guest engaged. From the colors in the lobby, flavors at the restaurant, and craft cocktails at the Gastro Bar, you feel alive and a part of a greater community when staying at TRYP NYC. It’s kind of refreshing to know you can show up and just start enjoying yourself!
Activities Nearby the Connect You:
Times Square is minutes from TRYP NYC. Just walking out in Times Square is an experience in itself. If you’re looking to get on one of the largest Screens in Times Square, stop by American Eagle and purchase one item to get a receipt which is required to get your photo taken. Heck, you can probably even return the receipt once you get the photo! I also recommend stopping by The View Restaurant NYC (theviewnyc.com) where you can enjoy a tasty buffet and 360 views of Times Square and New York City.
The OUT NYC Urban Resort - Hell’s Kitchen | Social
Editor's note May 2017: Due to recent changes in ownership and circumstances, we can no longer recommend the OUT NYC as gay-friendly.
If all resorts were like The OUT NYC, I’d start staying at more resorts when I traveled! This hotel is setting the standard for what a resort should be. But then again, not all resorts are an URBAN resort. The first straight-friendly hotel in the US, The OUT NYC is showing the industry how to do a lot of things, while combining the LGBT and straight community, all looking for that unique experience. Combining arts, entertainment, and food, The OUT NYC has created one of the most unique environments I’ve seen in the hotel industry.
With room sizes ranging from suites down to the sleep share accommodation, The OUT NYC appeals to a wide range of travelers from the executive to the traveler on a budget. If you haven’t heard of the OUT NYC’s sleep share accommodation, let me introduce you. With four bunk beds, this is like a youth hostel room on steroids. Each person receives a private bunk and locker, shared shower and grooming area. But these rooms are about ten steps above a hostel! With plenty of communal areas like the business center, lounging room, workout room, bamboo garden, great lawn, and spa atrium, The OUT NYC is always creating new experiences for their guests.
Combing the Ktchn Bar + Restaurant, XL Nightclub, Spa and fitness center, three courtyards, and main lobby, there’s always an event or party happening at this Urban Resort. From tea dances in the courtyards to art exhibits in lobby, there’s always an opportunity to meet someone new. With the hotel being so intertwined with the community, they frequently bring in established, emerging, and young artist to be featured in the hotel’s lobby.
Located in one of NYC’s hottest neighborhoods, Hell’s Kitchen, The OUT NYC is not only a destination for travelers, but for the locals as well. The XL Nightclub, Cabaret, and Lounge is one of the premier gay social centers in NYC. Bringing in international DJ’s, drag queens, and other performers, you’ll be at the epicenter of social activity when visiting New York City. And if that’s not enough, you’re a brief walk from Times Square and other gay hotspots in Hell’s Kitchen. While most travelers try to spend the least amount of time in a hotel, you’ll find yourself not wanting to leave The OUT NYC Urban Resort.