Lodging

The red brick facade of the historic Incentra Village House.

Last weekend, I abandoned my children and husband for a weekend jaunt to my other favorite city.

Yep, Frisco mama became Manhattan mama for three lovely days.

My cousin, who is like a sister to me, and I share birthdays on the same week of November. With the incentive of low off-season fares on Jetblue and an invitation to stay a night at the Incentra Village House, I jetted off across country on the red-eye, while Jules took Amtrak down from Boston.

Scorpios raised on the East Coast know the dismality of November weather. But we were willing to chance it. It turned out we were blessed with an incredibly stellar Indian summer weekend.

The cozy Victorian parlor with windows to Eighth Ave.

We spent the first night on the Upper East Side with friends where we strolled through Central Park that afternoon, dined on Spanish tapas at Quixote in the Chelsea Hotel, and got styled with VIP treatment at Gotham Comedy Club to see Jake Johansen. (My husband is their house photographer and has considerable juice there — thanks D!)

On Sunday we checked into Incentra Village House, two cozy, historic adjacent red brick guesthouses built in 1841. According to Lonely Planet, it is New York’s first gay inn and with a room named for Stonewall, I gather that’s true. It definitely has a gay friendly vibe. Rates for the studio rooms range from $169 to $279, depending on the number of occupants; the Bishop suite goes for $199 to $309. Vincent, our host that night, was charming and helpful, steering us toward some of the neighborhood landmarks.

Our room, the Washington, faced bustling Eighth Avenue but due to double-paned windows was surprisingly quiet. It was spacious by New York standards with a queen-sized bed, teeny bathroom, fireplace, kitchen area, and a loft with a full-sized futon. It felt like having our own little Manhattan pied-a-terre. With the exception of the rather dim lighting, I loved it.

The adjacent townhouse where we checked in houses a charming Victorian double parlor with a baby grand piano. Vincent invited us to kick back and watch the season finale of Mad Men in the comfy drawing room.

But it is the location that really shines. In the West Village above Abington Square and just blocks from Chelsea to the north and the Meatpacking district to the West, it is an eating, drinking, shopping, and people watching mecca.

We walked for miles around the Village, popping in to shoe stores, galleries, and shops, and dined on decadent pastas in Little Italy that night, where the waiter plied us with free wine.

The High Line in New York.

When Jules left a few hours before I had to make my way to JFK on Monday, I headed off to discover the High Line, a beautiful urban park created on the tracks of an former elevated freight train line next to the Hudson River. It was totally amazing and worth the blisters.

The weekend flew by but was definitely worth the effort to satisfy my New York jones and spend a long weekend with my sistercuz.

Incentra Village House
32 Eighth Avenue
New York City, NY 10014
(212) 206-0007

Photo credit: Lisa Dion

The Chatwal New York is opening in Spring 2010 re-creating the glamour and style of 1930’s, recognized and idolized the world over. Occupying top billing on its theater district block on West 44th St. – also known as the “Great White Way” – the landmark Stanford White-designed building was originally host to the famous Lambs club, America’s first professional theater club. The Chatwal New York has been meticulously restored and modernized by renowned master architect and interior designer, Thierry Despont. The circa-1905 building will be the first member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World in Manhattan’s theater district.

Established in 1874, The Lambs Club was the gathering place of those who would make Broadway and Hollywood history.  Legendary member names include George M. Cohan, W.C. Fields, John Barrymore, Milton Berle, Fred Astaire, Irving Berlin and Will Rogers.  The salon was populated by some of the most well-known literati of the day, too – a haven for the creators of American culture - Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth, Robert Southey, Mary Shelley, and John Keats.

The Chatwal Hotel New York is the vision of Mr. Sant Chatwal, entrepreneur and Chairman and CEO of Hampshire Hotels & Resorts. With a goal to create intimate gathering places and rooms with the highest attention to detail – The Chatwal truly joins past with future, while maintaining a uniquely New York character. The opening of The Chatwal New York also marks the launch of Sant Chatwal’s new luxury hotel brand, The Chatwal – with plans in the works for additional luxury properties outside London and in India.

Every attention has been given to the 88 guestrooms, of which 38 are larger suites. In-room finishes include fine suede covered walls and leather-wrapped double closets, the Chatwal’s retro playing cards and a specially crafted Backgammon set. You will also find modern amenities, such as complimentary internet access, a laptop-sized safe, a 42-inch HD flat screen IP television with Blueray DVD and multi-language options, a movie library, and in-room stereo system with an iPod dock all provide a comfortably wired experience. Private terraces are available on request for those who treasure their outdoor space.

Paying homage to the building’s original purpose - showcasing talent and creativity, whether on stage, or in the kitchen and behind the bar - celebrated Chef Geoffrey Zakarian is behind the 90-seat restaurant at The Chatwal New York. The menu will focus on traditional American cuisine and seasonal ingredients. This is a first time collaboration for Manhattan’s established culinary and cocktail masters, Geoffrey Zakarian and Margaret Zakarian along with David Rabin, Will Regan and Jeffrey Jah (of New York’s highly regarded Double Seven and Lotus nightclubs/cocktail lounges).

The bar offers classic and refined cocktails made with the freshest juices, pressed each day on the premises.  Pre/post-theater and after-work cocktails will be offered at the lively bar scene – a perfect meeting spot for friendly conversation, toasting a signed contract or discussing musical high points after a show.

For more information or to make reservations visit The Chatwal New York online.

The long-anticipated Crosby Street Hotel on a cobblestone alley in Soho, NYC.

The poor Crosby.

We first heard inklings of its opening back in 2008, then it was set for March, then last Tuesday, as reported in the Style section of the Sunday New York Times.

Eight-six rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows.

But alas, Tuesday came and went and no grand opening. Seems an electrical problem affected the hotel’s progress, so the much anticipated opening of London’s Firmdale Hotels’  first venture outside outside the U.K.– in New York, of course — has been postponed. Again.

The Firmdale brand is synonymous with stylish, expensive, discreet, and British. In London, Firmdale properties include the Soho Hotel, Convent Garden Hotel, Number Sixteen, and the Knightsbridge Hotel.

The Crosby Street Hotel is located on a quiet cobblestone street between Spring and Prince Streets in New York’s legendary Soho district. Surrounded by cast iron and boutiques, you might never know the site was a former parking lot.

Eighty-six rooms and suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows and the individual touches of design director and co-owner (with her husband Tim) Kit Kemp.

Firmdale Hotels owner Kit Kemp is also the design director.

Kemp is known for bold use of color and whimsical mix of old and new. She referred to her “cluttered minimalism” in an interview on vogue.com where she explained that pure minimalism is more masculine while adding details gives her look a more feminine quality.

Crosby Street Hotel
79 Crosby Street
New York City
(212) 226-6400

Photo credit: Firmdale Hotels

The Radisson Martinique on Broadway in NYC.

Location, location… and not much else.

In early June I needed to book a last-minute hotel in Manhattan, so I turned to my stand-by for such things, Travelocity. High on the list of low rates was the Radisson Martinique on 32nd St. right in the thick of things near (but not on) Times Square.

I booked a “Classic Guest Room” for under $200 and hoped for the best. The best is not what I got. While the exterior was beautiful, the lobby had a decidedly ‘80s feel, and my room itself was possibly the smallest I’ve had short of a European uber-budget hotel. In fact, there was an uber-budget Euro-vibe throughout, in terms of an indifferent staff and the lack of luxury.

My mini-bar fridge was empty with a big sign that they were in the process of eliminating that feature, leaving the impression that I was actually sold a room in the process of renovation.

I realize these are the type of slim-pickings that get released to the discount websites. If I had booked weeks in advance and was still given this kind of leftover, I’d be upset. There was a queen sized bed, but if I had a companion with me, there would have scarcely been room enough for two people’s luggage.

The dated lobby of the Radisson Martinique on Broadway.

My biggest gripe though, which was a major inconvenience, was that my magnetic key card failed not once, not twice, but three times! Each time I was forced to return to the desk (once with all of my luggage), and wait in line for a replacement. When I asked why it kept happening, I was told, “anything can cause it- coins, keys, a wallet…” and given an unhelpful shrug. (Later I would read endless horror stories about the front desk and check-in staff, making my experience seem minor in comparison.)

One thing it does have going for it is the location. There’s a subway station half a block away, taxis were plentiful, and you are less than two blocks from both the Empire State Building and Madison Square Garden/ Penn Station. If literally all you are looking for is a bed near the heart of the theater district, you might be fine with it.

Radisson Martinique on Broadway
49 West 32nd Street, NY, NY 10001
800-395-7046

Photos courtesy of Radisson Hotels.

The impressive atrium at the Embassy Suites New York.

I had a business trip to New York, and had procrastinated booking my hotel. I’d heard that there were great last-minute deals to be had in NYC, so I figured to grab one of those via Travelocity a few days prior to departure. Most of the deals were in Times Square, but I was looking to stay somewhere different, and I found it at the Embassy Suites New York in Battery Park.

At $149 per night for a Travelocity “four star” hotel, it seemed to be quite a deal. My room was indeed a suite- two separate rooms- with a king-sized bed, flat-screen TV, couch, desk, coffee table, and a smallish bathroom. The rooms all wrapped around a soaring atrium that was pretty dramatic. Instead of a fancy hotel restaurant and bar, there was a Chevy’s. Now as far as chain restaurants go, you could do a lot worse, and Manhattan isn’t exactly a hotbed of kickin’ Mexican food like we have aqui. I’m a fan of their fajitas, and twice my lunch was a very economical bowl of chicken tortilla soup. Hotel guests get 10 percent off.

There’s also an 11-screen movie theater, but what’s annoying is that the box office is four flights below the theaters, and there’s nothing to tell you that until you get all the way up there if you grab the escalators from the mezzanine.

Included in your rate is a complimentary breakfast buffet with made-to-order omelettes and other standard fare, as well as a free cocktail at the appropriate hour. I didn’t make it to any of the social hours, but I was reminded how unappetizing it is to watch Americans saddle up to a buffet trough and grab fistfulls of bacon and sausage. Just because you can shovel chunks of every farm animal known to man onto one plate, doesn’t mean you should.

Annoyingly not included is WiFi, which is ten bucks for 24-hours. And I was not amused at the hotel-wide test of the fire alarm system in the am following a very late night.

The neighborhood, Battery Park, is just a couple of blocks from Ground Zero in the fractured heart of lower Manhattan. Directly outside the hotel there were plenty of cabs, and the subway was just three blocks away across the Westside Highway.

The Embassy Suites New York is a great hotel for the business traveller, but not the best if you’re visiting New York for the first time or want to be close to the action. It is very clean and modern, but not exactly full of personality. Is it really a “four star” hotel? I’d say not. But a good solid three-star, for sure.

This post was written by guest blogger, Dan Dion.

Photos courtesy of Embassy Suites.

Enjoy the views from the foothills on horseback

Take your family to the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” where dude ranches are more plentiful than hotels and motels.

Do something different this year for spring break. Forget the long lines at the ski resorts and leave your snowclothes at home. Give the sandy beaches of Baja to the college scene and leave your passports at home. Pack your jeans, grab your hat, and get ready for some boot stompin’ fun.

Bandera, Texas, along with being the “cowboy capital of the world,” could also be known as the “Dude Ranch Capital of the World.” And this place ain’t big enough to be the capital of anything with a population density of 22 people per square mile. Compare that to New York City with over 25,000 people per square mile. 

Comfortable accommodations in rustic decor

Running-R Guest Ranch

Why not spend some time with the kids this year living life in the slow lane. Wake up to a hearty Cowboy Breakfast and spend some time exploring the ranch. Take a picnic and go for a long, relaxing horseback ride up into the hills where the views go further then the eyes can follow. Head back to the ranch and play some horseshoes, or grab a pole and do a little fishing. The Running-R Guest Ranch purposefully doesn’t create an itinerary for you. Their goal is for you to relax and have fun.

Enjoy a Cowboy Breakfast

At the end of the day, if you’re just too relaxed to go out to dinner, cook your own steak on the grill and settle your family around the campfire for some cowboy conversation. Rediscover these simple pleasures and reconnect with the people who are most important to you.

Tell your favorite stories around the campfire

Photos courtesy of Running-R Guest Ranch

Running-R Guest Ranch
9059 Bandera Creek Road
Bandera, Texas 78003
830-796-3984

Gossip Girl here. Ooh, it’s fun to write that! The hit CW show has filmed several scenes at the New York Palace, but that’s not the only reason to stay at this luxury hotel. Opulent, yet tasteful, inside it instantly transports guests from the bustle of the city to Old World charm. And its location on Madison Avenue is blocks from Sak’s Fifth Avenue and the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center.

New York Palace

If you’re looking for a cozy spot to celebrate Valentine’s Day, consider the New York Palace with its European architecture and style. Right now they’re offering the Romance Package. Mention the special, book two nights and receive complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries, a bottle of wine and complimentary breakfast. Prices start at $455 per night.

If you decide to have a nightcap at the bar, don’t be surprised if you recognize the setting from a few scenes as well.

For more details, call 212-888-7000.

Photo courtesy of the New York Palace.

Cozy sitting area and pull-out sofa in an Affinia 50 Junior Suite.

A nifty little promotion just landed in my in-box, and I wanted to share it with Uptake.com’s readers, since it’s a good one. My absolute favorite hotel in New York City, the Affinia 50, is having a blow-out sale for reservations through March 31.

In fact, the Affinia promotion applies to five of its New York City properties, plus one in Chicago and one in Washington, D.C.

• Affinia Chicago (166 East Superior Street, steps from Magnificent Mile), from $99/night
• Liaison Capitol Hill (415 New Jersey Avenue, NW), from $109/night
• Affinia Manhattan ( 371 Seventh Avenue; near Madison Square Garden), from $149/night
• Affinia 50 (50th and Lexington), from $169/night
• Affinia Dumont (150 East 34th Street), from$169/night
• Affinia Gardens (215 East 64th Street), from$239/night
• Shelburne Murray Hill (303 Lexington Avenue), from $139/night

Each of these properties offers “something special.” At the Affinia 50, I liked the complimentary cocktail hour — free wine and cheese in the classy Club Room, Monday through Thursday. At Affinia Gardens, its all about tranquility, with a Serenity Lounge and complimentary tea bar. The Affinia Chicago underwent a recent multi-million-dollar renovation and has a sexy rooftop bar.

If you’re planning travel to New York, Chicago or Washington D.C. in the next couple months, and want to take advantage of these discounted rates, you’ll need to book soon. The promotion ends January 13.

Photo by Kara Williams.

Spacious sleeping area in Affinia 50 Junior Suite.

My family of four stayed at the Affinia 50, An Executive Suite Hotel, on 50th and Lexington over the Thanksgiving holiday. I heartily recommend this midtown-Manhattan property to others making a family trip to New York City.

We stayed in a Junior Suite, which featured a huge open entryway, full closet, safe, ironing board, tons of shelves, dresser, TV, two double beds, a sofa bed, desk, comfy chair, good-sized bathroom with Aveda toiletries, and the best part of all: a full kitchen!

The kitchen was key for our family for storing breakfast foods and snacks. We went to the grocery store a few blocks away and stocked up on bread, eggs, frozen waffles, fruit, peanut butter and jelly. Eating breakfast in our room, instead of going to the hotel’s breakfast buffet or other NYC restaurant each morning, saved us literally hundreds of dollars over our week-long stay. Granted, the galley kitchen was small, but it absolutely served its purpose.

I was also pleasantly surprised that our room on the 7th floor wasn’t noisy at all. We heard no street traffic (granted, we also didn’t have a view of the street, but rather a next-door hotel).

A full refrigerator, toaster and microwave are opposite the sink and stove in the Affinia 50 Junior Suite.

Other marvelous hotel amenities: Free wine and cheese Monday to Thursday evenings, a full fitness center, coin-operated laundry (which we also used halfway through our stay) and complimentary pillow menu.

Another nice touch: Don’t bother packing toiletries like shaving cream, razor, toothbrush, contact lens solution and toothpaste. If you request these items online after you book, they’ll be packed neatly in a bag for you to pick up when you arrive. (Especially nice if you’re carrying your bag on the plane, and don’t have room to pack all of your 3-oz. toiletries in your quart-sized bag.)

The Affinia 50 is surprisingly affordable, too. Guest rooms for a two-night weekend stay in January start at $195 non-refundable nightly rate. Other room options include Studio Suites, Junior Suites (which we stayed in), One-bedroom Suites and Two-bedroom Suites. Be sure to check discounts for AAA or AARP before booking.

Finally, the hotel’s midtown location rocks. It’s within easy walking distance to Rockefeller Plaza, many reasonably priced restaurants on Second Avenue and the Lexington Avenue 4-5-6 subway line.

But, if you’re looking for accommodations elsewhere in Manhattan, consider the other Affinia properties on the Upper East Side, close to Times Square or in Murray Hill. You’ll also find Affinia brand hotels in Chicago and Washington, D.C.

My only complaint was the fee for using Internet. I paid $45 for a week’s worth of Internet service, which doesn’t break the bank, but still, it would be nice to have complimentary Wi-Fi in the rooms. That said, in the Club Lounge, guests can use complimentary hotel computers that are fully wired.

Again, I think the Affinia 50, with its amazing amenities, spacious rooms and ultra-friendly staff, is a great deal for families who are traveling to New York City.

Photos by Kara Williams, taken November 2008.