Terry Trucco

How’s the Breakfast at the Equinox Hotel New York?

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The hotel The first link in a planned hotel chain from Equinox fitness clubs, the Equinox Hotel’s plush tower in Hudson Yards is the closest you’ll get to Canyon Ranch in New York, albeit with free-flowing craft cocktails.

The restaurant The best way to be wowed by Electric Lemon, a classic Rockwell Group creation perched on the 24th floor, is to start with a good look at the restaurant’s most striking feature: the bar. Think Park City-on-the-Hudson with acres of wood and glass, a sleek, gas-jet fireplace and inviting club chairs. Breakfast awaits in the dining room, a spacious feast of taupe punctuated by pale wood floors and buttery leather banquettes that’s serenely formulaic but delectably comfortable. The towering windows overlook Hudson Yards’ multi-story shopping tower and a Gothamesque cityscape muted by acres of wheat-colored curtains. Read more

Terry Trucco

Sleep in a Green Room: What Are New York City’s Most Eco-Friendly Hotels?

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April 22 is still Earth Day, even in a pandemic. And with 50 years under its eco-conscious belt, Earth Day 2020 is momentous even if it’s somewhat under the radar for obvious reasons. 

Looking ahead to a time when it’s safe to travel and New York City hotels once again throw open their doors, here’s a look at the city’s greenest hotels. We’ve updated this post for 2020 to include hotels with at least one of these criteria — LEED Certification, membership in the New York Carbon Challenge, Ecotel Certification and active demonstration of efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. Read more

Terry Trucco

Eco-Friendly in New York: Which Hotels are Greenest?

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It’s Earth Day, which means it’s time for our annual honor roll of New York City’s green hotels.

As always, the greenest of the green are those with LEED certification — third party proof of adherence to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council. Once again, California leads the national pack with 25 LEED certified hotels, but New York comes in second with 12, one more than last year.

While the vaunted Platinum level remains elusive, five New York hotels own Gold level status — Conrad New York, the Crosby Street Hotel, Element New York Times Square west, the Intercontinental New York Times Square and NoMad. Read more

Terry Trucco

Hunting Down the Greenest Hotels in New York City

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With a nod to Earth Day, we offer our (second) annual roll call of green New York City hotels.

The greenest of the green are those with LEED certification – third party proof of adherence to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards set by the U.S Green Building Council. Read more

Terry Trucco

When the Roof’s a Farm: Five New York Hotels that Grow Their Own Food

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Hard as it may be to picture – especially if you’re gazing at the Empire State Building – Manhattan was once blanketed by farmland. John Rowland, the 19th-century surveyor who mapped Manhattan’s street grid, knew all about it. In his spare time he fashioned nearly 100 maps of the island’s farms.

But enough history. Manhattan farming is back, albeit on a very small scale (think planter boxes). Still, finding a Manhattan hotel that grows its own food – or at least some of it – is a lot easier than it was as recently as a year or two ago. Read more

Terry Trucco

How Marriott’s UK Hotels Turn Worn-Out Hotel Sheets into Tote Bags with Style

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Anyone who’s had the misfortune of sleeping on hotel sheets that were ripped or frayed knows that bed linens don’t last forever. Sixty washes constitutes a lifetime for a sheet.

But what happens to dead bedding when it’s banished from your hotel room bed?

Since 2011, discarded sheets from Marriott hotels throughout the U.K. have returned to the properties reconstituted as stylish laundry bags, hair dryer bags and newspaper bags. And now Marriott International announces the arrival of another second coming – limited edition tote bags created from recycled hotel sheets. Read more

Terry Trucco

What’s Growing on the Roof at the Westin New York Grand Central?

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The answer is on your plate or in your glass if you order an arugula salad or a muddled-mint mojito at LCL, the hotel restaurant and bar. Read more

Terry Trucco

Are Those Vitamins In the Minibar at The Standard?

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Hotel minibars make me think of good times, not good for you. (M&Ms for $7, too, but that’s another story.)

But the minibars at the Standard hotels — including the Standard High Line and Standard East Village in New York – are tweaking what’s good, or at least what you’d imagine to be good in an in-room stash. Read more

Terry Trucco

How The New York Hilton Is Cultivating a Green Roof in the Middle of Midtown Manhattan

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In observation of Earth Day (and Month), we pause for a quick pulse check on how New York City hotels are doing on the green front. Read more

Terry Trucco

Basil and Buzz: A First Look at the Intercontinental New York Barclay’s New Roof Garden

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In a city known for lavish rooftop amenities, from lounges to pools, the roof of the Intercontinental New York Barclay is neither the tallest nor the chicest. But it’s got buzz. Read more