mlmidwest

I just found this site an I'm trying to absorb all the great information quickly. I've decided to surprise my wife with a weekend trip from St. Louis to New York, staying June 2-4. We're celebrating our 10th anniversary and we're in our late 30's with two small children (who aren't coming!).

I know this is a fairly common request, but can anyone offer advice for hotels and maybe two nice restaurants. Activity recommendations are fine, but we'll likely spend what little time we have sightseeing and shopping.

One concern of mine is that our only full day will be on Sunday and I don't know what kind of impact that will have on our sightseeing, shopping, dining.

Un/fortunately, I don't need a specific area for the hotel, but something memorable (whether hip or luxury) is required. I've been looking at London NYC, Benjamin, Giraffe, which look great but we won't be spending much time in our hotel so I'd be happy to spend some of that money on other things like good food, sights, gifts!

My wife works for a restaurant and knows a lot more about the newest/best restaurants than I do, but I want to make some reservations in advance. Someplace romantic would be okay, but isn't required. Mostly interested in really good food and again, something memorable/something she can brag to her co-workers about

I've been saving up, so the price isn't too much of a factor for the hotel or restaurant, but we won't be satisfied overpaying if it isn't evident in the quality.

Thanks in advance. If I've forgotten anything, I'll post more info later.

beckytx

I stayed at the Hotel Giraffe last month and really enjoyed it. For comparison sake, I've also stayed at the Waldorf and W on Lexington and the Giraffe had a much nicer, larger room, I also like the neighborhood better than Midtown. The subway can be found one block either north or south to get to tourist sites, yet its also an inexpensive cab fare to all of the great downtown restaurants.

I had a great dinner at Butter and the atmosphere was really fun. For my

beckytx

oops, hit "post" too soon. For my 30th birthday, we had a great dinner at Babbo. That is something she can definitely brag about to her friends.

MikeT

Another suggestion would be the W Union Square, which has rooms that weekend for about $350. I think it is very romantic and feels very chic NY. If she likes food, the Union Square farmer's market is next door.

cindymal

I loved the London.The suites are beautiful and the formal restaurant in the hotel is great.IMO much nicer than any of the W's.I reviewed the hotel on a previous post.
Let us know what type of restaurants you are looking forTrendy,Formal,etc

Margo_Chester

Check the prices for you hotels on www.quikbook.com and be sure to see if travelzoo.com has any specials that you can use.

Kingbuff

A lot of the bigger stores are open on Sunday, and close at 8PM or later.

For example, if you want to shop till you drop, go to Macy's. It's huge!

Good restaurants are all over SoHo and Greenwhich/West Village, other people will have more info about which ones to take. I went to Artepasta (or something, don't quite remember it) and it was great! Great meals, reasonable/medium priced, and very friendly staff.

jodeenyc

Babbo only takes reservations one month out and they might be booked for your time period. If you want the best restaurants you should book as quickly as possible.

My other favorites BLT Steak, Aquagrill, Aleo, Il Mulino, San Pietro, Moustache is good too but not fancy, Sala is a good time too.

A couple of these restaurants (Moustache/Sala/Aquagrill) also give you the opportunity to get into cool neighborhoods that you might not have went into before - or explored. Nice walks around all three.

monpetit

A nice hotel , less expensive than other, because in Upper west Side is the Excelsior : nice room or suite.
The Flatotel, in midtown is another option, with suite, junior or real suite.
For meals, I'll recommand Cafe Boulud and gramercy tavern for food if decor is not a priority.
Cafe des artistes and River Cafe if decor is more important than food(Food is good but not exceptional in those 2..).
Erik.

jodeenyc

Also one more, Momofuku Ssam Bar is getting rave reviews:

http://www.momofuku.com/

mlmidwest

Thanks for all the tips so far.

I'm drawn to the Hotel Giraffe so I'll probably make reservations there. Any tips for getting good rates/special consideration for our anniversary since most of the travel websites don't have the hotel? If not, I plan to call or make reservations through their site.

Also like the look/sound of London NYC, so may still look at that.

For food, I call Babbo but they're booked - said to call back closer to date for cancellations.

We're not into formal places or touristy places, so if I can get into one well-known, good restaurant that someone in the food business would appreciate and then one other dinner at just a comfortable place with good food and a memorable atmosphere, I'll be set.

So, any other new or star-chef (?) restaurant recommendations?

If I may ask for two more tips:

Is there any one, memorable, anniversary appropriate activity that you might suggest? Top of buildings, some sort of boat tour, etc.?

I've got to book my flights, so does it matter which airport we fly into? Three area airports were available when I checked flights yesterday. Let's assume we're staying at the Hotel Giraffe.

Thanks again!

mlmidwest

Strike that. Hotel Giraffe doesn't have rooms that night (well, only suites for $500...)

beachbum

When my wife was celebrating a milestone birthday a few years back, we spent a weekend in the City, staying at the Michelangelo. Loved it!

beckytx

That stinks that the Giraffe is booked up. I've had co-workers stay at the Benjamin and they really liked it.

beckytx

The New York Palace has a weekend rate of $365 and its super nice. That is my company's preferred hotel. I work at a hedge fund and they like to spend money on nice things.

mp

If she's in the restaurant business she may well have heard of Momofuku, because the owner/chef David Chang, won the James Beard award for rising chef this week. Both Momofuku and his other place Ssam bar are very casual, not particularly comfortable small places with smashing food. Always very crowded, they do not take reservations.

Harold Dieterle, who won Top Chef TV show competition last year just opened his first restaurant, Perilla this week. he used to work at The Harrison, in Tribeca - a wonderful place with terrific New American food - very New York. The owners of the Harrison also have The Red Cat, another excellent, not too formal place. If she has a cuisine preference, that might help narrow your search a bit - I could go on with hundreds more suggestions. You can check out menus and prices for the above at www.menupages.com

She might like a 2 or 3 hour sunset cocktail sail down the Hudson and around NY Harbor - The Adirondack is a schooner that does that several times a week - http://www.zerve.com/SailNYC/SunsetAD

NJgirlinPhx

Happy Anniversary!

I highly recommend the chowhound boards for restaurant ideas:
www.chowhound.com

As for tops of buildings, I cannot emphasize Top of the Rock enough. You can see Central Park and the Empire State Building. If you search Top of the Rock here, you should find some links for some discounts.

Have a Great Trip!

ripit

Have you thought about doing a pub/restaurant crawl? In the lower east side there are a whole bunch of trendy small plate/tapas bar/restaurants all clustered together. I live in NY and this is one of my wife and my favorite things to do when we have a night out without the kids. We will try one or two plates and a drink or two at serveral different places along the way. Some of our favorites are Suba (spanish tapas), 'inoteca (Italian wine bar - great cheese and meat plate), Schillers (late night), Stanton Social (a little too hipster for me but nice, creative small plates), WD-50 (more of a sit down than small plate, but incredible)....and many others.

You can also look at the Hotel on Rivington right in the heart of the Lower East Side. The have a great restaurant here also called THOR. I like the LES because while it has gentrified somewhat - hence all the trendy bars and restaurants - it hasn't gone all meatpacking district (yet) and still retains some grittyness which makes it feel more like NY than Disneyland.

cindymal

Try Bouley,Gotham Bar and Grill,eleven madison,Tabla,Gramacy Tavern,The Modern.IMO all of these restaurants are better than Babbo.All upscale.Bouley is the most formal.Try opentable.com.Most of the above restaurants are not that dif.to reserve a table.

mclaurie

Hotel prices are high that weekend and many are totally booked. I think maybe some graduations. Some ideas-

What about staying in Soho? The Mercer or 60 Thompson or the Soho Grand. Younger, maybe more interesting than midtown.

OR, what about a hotel with a view (Millenium UN Plaza, Marriott Marquis, one of the Ritz Carltons)

OR, what about a room with a terrace? Some of the Affinia Hotels have terraces. The penthouse at On the Avenue featured on their website has always appealed to me. It's very pricey but it's available for your weekend.
ontheavenuehotel.com