We love the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. A classic liminal period, it’s an opportunity to work less (or not at all), see a movie, read a book, catch your breath. And if you’re like us, you’ll probably stop by a hotel (or two). Here are 10 worth checking out even if you don’t check in. Read more
Ice skating at the Standard
Ah, the crisp, chill days of December. They may not be here yet, but they’re coming. And with them our thoughts turn to salchows, toe loops and flips – or more realistically, trying to not to belly flop on the ice.
Each winter outdoor rinks sprout up throughout Manhattan. Never mind that we’re talking frozen concrete instead of frozen ponds; concrete is urban poetry.
The Standard Hotel rink is back along with stalwarts like Bryant Park’s Citi Pond, the Rink at Rockefeller Center and Wollman and Lasker rinks in Central Park.
So liberate your inner Yuzuru Hanyu — or Adam Rippon. Here’s where to check in if you crave skating and the city – or just want a rink-side hotel that will warm you up with hot chocolate, or something stronger, après skate. Read more
Historic hotels have their charms – the evocative architecture, the whiff of time travel, the (often) dazzling out-of-the-past guests lists. But there’s nothing charming about historic plumbing, which could be one reason the Algonquin, New York’s oldest operating hotel, is closing for four months of renovations beginning on January 1, 2012. Read more
Did you know a bowl of hotel oatmeal, arguably the healthiest offering on the breakfast menu, can rack up 1,400 calories? Yikes! Read more
When we strolled into the Two E Bar at the Pierre, a glamorous, windowless, black-and-white lounge with silk throw pillows on the banquettes, we never dreamed we’d wind up with a dark orange drink sporting an orchid and a paper umbrella. But atop our black-lacquered cocktail table stood a flier announcing the Two E Tiki Festival. Read more
Note: Apparently, not everything lives forever on the internet. Nearly all the photos disappeared from this item, save one. Weird. But not the copy, so here it is.
The tree at Rockefeller Center isn’t the only show in town that rocks this month. Here’s a look at some of our favorite holiday trees at Midtown hotels. Read more