Recommend May 2013 - (Page 23)

Left: Accommodations at Hotel Americano in Chelsea. city eats seems to draw a crowd day and night, features dishes such as foie gras terrine and Berkshire pork served in the main dining room or outdoor patio. Guests looking to explore Chelsea like a local can pick up one of the hotel’s bikes out front and take it for a spin around town, or take a walk on the nearby High Line, an elevated park built on an old freight rail line that features areas for picnicking and sunbathing; views of the area’s street art; and events such as stargazing and free guided walking tours. The area is also home to Chelsea Market ﬁlled with bakeries and restaurants like Amy’s Bread and Morimoto. Average room rates are $320 per night for an Uptown Queen; $325 for a Downtown King; and $540 for an Uptown Studio. While out and about, recommend your clients head to Jean-Gorges Vongerichten’s organic hotspot abc kitchen in Gramercy. The whole wheat pizzas here will make anyone give in to carbs with options like the mushroom, parmesan, oregano and farm egg pizza. The menu features organic and local ingredients, and there’s even a rooftop garden that grows the herbs used. For brunch, the SoHo neighborhood is home to Jack’s Wife Freda. Mouthwatering dishes include rosewater wafﬂes with Lebanese yogurt, strawberries and honey syrup, as well as the smoked paprika egg salad sandwich. And don’t forget to try the cantaloupe mimosa. It is brunch, after all! In Williamsburg, one of Brooklyn’s trendiest neighborhoods, Roberta’s offers some of the best pizza in town, but tell your clients that the wait is never under two hours. hotel options beyond manhattan For clients who don’t want to plunk all their money on the hotel room, Heywood says to tell them to venture into one of the other boroughs besides Manhattan, which can offer room rates at 20 to 30 percent less, in some cases. In fact, since 2006, 42 percent of the hotels opening in the city have been in the boroughs, according to NYC & Company. These properties, stresses Heywood, are also ideal for repeat visitors, as they offer something different, where guests can “live like a local at a better price point.” Of course, speak of boroughs outside Manhattan and the hipsters immediately think of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, which is, in fact, home to the 64-room King & Grove Williamsburg, owned by the same folks who lay claim over the Tides South Beach in Miami. It offers rooms with bamboo ﬂooring, warm oak cabinetry and well-appointed marble bathrooms, and some come with balconies overlooking the outdoor pool. There’s also a rooftop lounge and a restaurant, which as of press time was set to open in the spring. In the Bronx, meanwhile, the 60-room boutique Bronx Opera House Hotel is opening in June in the Beaux Arts building that was once the Bronx Opera House in South Bronx. And in Long Island City in Queens, which is only one subway stop from Manhattan, the boutique Z NYC Hotel offers a Jazz Age vibe complemented by a modern industrialist chicness. The hotel provides free transportation to and from Manhattan; is dog-friendly; and offers complimentary bikes for guest use, as well as stunning views of Manhattan just across the East River. upcoming highlights n Grand Central Terminal celebrates its centennial this year with events such as free lectures, exhibits and parades. n Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest ship, Norwegian Breakaway, begins its 7-day cruises this month from Manhattan to Bermuda. n Starting this month, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) will be open to the public seven days a week, and starting July 1, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will also be open seven days a week. Adding to the neighborhood’s elegant vibe, in 2014 the 114-guestroom Baccarat Hotel & Residences will be opening across from the MoMA. Accommodations will include 26 suites, and visitors will have lots of amenities to keep them busy such as the Baccarat Spa, an indoor pool and ﬁtness center, and a bar and restaurant at street level. n The Statue of Liberty, which closed after Hurricane Sandy, is set to re-open on July 4. n In 2015, Staten Island will also give travelers a reason to leave Manhattan when the world’s tallest Ferris wheel—the New York Wheel—and a retail complex open. The wheel, at 625 ft., beats out the Singapore Flyer and London Eye, and each of its 36 capsules can hold up to 40 passengers. package it Travelers heading to New York City who want the ease of a tour can choose from a variety of packages with Monograms Independent Travel. For example, the 6-day New York Extended Getaway, which starts at $1,239 pp without air, takes travelers sightseeing throughout the city; includes access to attractions with the New York Pass; and features tickets to a Broadway show. “New York City offers foodies, art and theater enthusiasts, history buffs, culture gurus, shopping aﬁcionados and more a perfect vacation getaway,” says Steve Born, v.p. of marketing for Globus family of brands. “Whether travelers are looking for a quick getaway, a family vacation or a girlfriend’s gathering, New York is the ideal location, thanks to easy access and the amount of experiences the city affords. That’s why New York City is our most popular U.S. destination for Monograms.” Archived related articles (available on recommend.com/magazine/issue-archive): High-End Stays Stateside (February 2013) contact information Baccarat Hotels & Resorts: baccarathotels.com Bronx Opera House Hotel: operahousehotel.com Hotel Americano: (212) 216-0000; hotel-americano.com King & Grove Williamsburg: (718) 218-7500; kingandgrove.com Monograms: (866) 270-9841; monograms.com or agents.globusfamily.com NYC & Company: nycgo.com or nycandcompany.org/traveltrade Z NYC Hotel: (212) 319-7000; zhotelny.com may 2013 23 22-23 NA NYC.indd 23 4/23/13 12:33 PM http://www.recommend.com/magazine/issue-archive http://www.baccarathotels.com http://www.operahousehotel.com http://www.hotel-americano.com http://www.kingandgrove.com http://www.monograms.com http://agents.globusfamily.com http://www.nycgo.com http://www.nycandcompany.org/traveltrade http://www.zhotelny.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend May 2013

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
Tour Talk: PerryGolf
Viking Aegir
A-ROSA Cruises
New York City
United States
UK & Ireland
Caribbean
Fairmont Mexico
The Road to Ruins-Peru's Northern Kingdoms
Kush Kelibsiz!: Welcome to Uzbekistan
Touring Israel & Jordan

Recommend May 2013