View of Statue of Liberty from the Water. NHYM 2024.
New York City is really my ‘Soul City.’ Even though I have lived in (and loved) London for almost 25 years and have built a happy, grounded family life, New York was my wild, passionate, love affair that I knew I had to eventually move on from. When I lived there in my 20s, I didn’t notice the dirty streets, the noisy honking or firetrucks blaring, or that the concrete jungle hid most of the sunshine and therefore any possible greenery. It didn’t matter, because I lived for the nightlife. For those who know, you know. The nightlife in the 90s was unforgettable: Tunnel and Limelight for dance music, Au Bar and Bilboquet for Euro spotting, Spy and Jet bar for the Soho Lounge Scene, Bowery bar and Bungalow 8 for the celebs, and finally Life and Spa for the best club nights I’ve had. Those were the best nights of my life.
Hotel View of Central Park. NHYM 2024.
But fast forward 25 years and I am happier than ever with my two gorgeous t(w)eens and I look back on those days with euphoric nostalgia, as a time I will never get back. So when it was time to take them to New York a few years ago, I had to make it the best-trip-ever. I wanted them to love it as much as I do so that I could come back over and over again and tell people ‘it’s because my kids love New York so much.’
The Plaza, Welcome Chocolate. NHYM 2024
When I told them we were going to New York, they both – separately – begged to stay at the Plaza. This is how strong Hollywood has entered our – and our kids’ – pysches. They both loved Home Alone so much that this was the only place they wanted to stay. Period. When I enquired, the hotel made it too easy for me to stay yes: they have rooms with two double beds that snuggly fit a family of four, the location is great and they have a magical ‘Home Alone Package.’ That clinched the deal.
The Plaza Home Alone Package Ice Cream Sundae. NHYM 2024
Needless to say, my kids LOVED New York and the Plaza, my eldest so much that she wants to live there. Maybe I went a little too far. More on our actual trip on another post, there’s too much to write for one post alone.
Brooklyn Bridge. NHYM 2024
For now, here are my top 10 Luxury Hotel Recommendations in NYC for families. Most of these have Family rooms or rooms with two double beds to fit a family of four. Others have suites to accommodate bigger families. These have also been chosen for their locations, covering all of Manhattan, from the Upper West Side to the Brooklyn Bridge.
- The Plaza (Central Park): With Home Alone 2 as advertisement, the Plaza needs no more introduction. Their Home Alone Package includes pizza, a limo ride around Manhattan and a giant ice cream sundae back in your room. Need I say more? It was the highlight of their trip.
- The Mandarin Oriental (Columbus Circle): This one is both for kids and adults: The Mandarin has beautiful rooms and views, and the Spa is one of the best in the city. There’s an Alo downstairs and plenty of shopping nearby, and is so centrally located you can go uptown/downtown/midtown in minutes.
- The Mercer (Soho Luxury): For the ultra fashion and trendy crowd, The Mercer is still a stalwart and its restaurant, Sartiano, an Italian-American restaurant, is named after a friend from my party days, Scott Sartiano.
- The Wallace (Upper West Side Boutique): For those looking for a more neighbourhood experience, The Wallace in the Upper West Side will give you a real taste of living in NYC.
- The Mark (Upper East Side Boutique): Same with the Mark, it has been around for ages, and is a boutique hotel in the Upper East Side if you want the ‘UES’ pied-a-terre experience.
- The Gansevoort (Meatpacking): For a great downtown location, the Gansevoort is next to the High Line, Little Island, all the meatpacking shopping and dining you can think of (CATCH, Pastis and more). They have a great rooftop bar and a pool for the kids to splash in (mornings only, sorry).
- The Moxy East Village (East Village): For an East Village experience, the Moxy hits the mark with its more hip, young feel and its various family rooms. It’s a great fit for families looking for good value and a more relaxed, fun atmosphere.
- The Beekman Thompson (Tribeca/Lower Manhattan): For those who want a lower Manhattan, boutique vibe, The Beekman remains one of the faves. It also has easy access to Brooklyn and the financial district, while maintaining its edginess with its cool design vibes.
- 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge (Brooklyn): For the too-cool-for-Manhattan crowd, this eco-friendly hotel gives you access to both Brooklyn and Manhattan. And the Brooklyn bridge is just so iconic.
- The Peninsula (Fifth Avenue) : For ultimate luxury, it’s hard to beat the Peninsula with its large indoor pool and family perks. It has spacious, luxurious rooms for families, the Grand Deluxe Double with 2 double beds.
WHAT DO IN NEW YORK CITY WITH KIDS:
To make it an unforgettable trip, I planned a special surprise 7 Day Movie/TV Schedule for them, to keep them anticipating the next day. Each Day was themed around a TV Show or Movie and the whole day would revolve around it: filming spots, restaurants, scenes etc.. They loved it!
Day 1: Gossip Girl
– Central Park Carriage Ride: Book Your Central Park Carriage Ride with Kids or Pedicab Ride Around Central Park
– The Met Steps: Book Your Tickets to the Met
– GG Restaurants: Sarabeth/Butter/Empire Rooftop/Russian Tea Room/The Oak Room/STK
Day 2: Elf
Empire State Building/Rockefeller Center
Day 3: BIG
Day 4: MoneyBall
Day 5: Night at the Museum
Book Your Tickets to the Natural History Museum
Day 6: Home Alone 2
-Tour Around NYC in a Limo: 9/11 Memorial, The Edge,Statue of Liberty, Times Square M&M shop
-BOOK YOUR HOME ALONE 2 LIMO RIDE & PIZZA HERE
Day 7: The Lion King
Other absolutely necessary things to do:
-The High Line
– Restaurants: Any food you can ask for!
– Shopping in Soho/West Village/Meatpacking District. If you have girls: Glossier, Brandy Melville etc.. it’s a girl’s paradise!
I can guarantee you can’t beat these activities with your kids!
NHYM
xx
http://www.nottinghillmummy.com
