Celebrating daughter's "Sweet 16" in NYC---need hotel & restaurant ideas
 

My husband and I are planning a trip to NYC for our daughter to celebrate her 16th birthday. (this will be her first time to the city)
Typically, my husband and I prefer small "up-scale" boutique hotels, but are thinking she maybe would prefer a more hip/cool, chic hotel with a lot going on. (you know, maybe see a celebrity) I can't see her liking a old, stuffy "dynasty" hotel. But, we are open to any sugestions. (budget will not be the determining factor, but newly decorated vs. worn out will be big factor)
Also, I really need suggestions for the best area to stay in. My husband and I have only had the opportunity to stay in the upper East and West side. Maybe she would like the Soho or Tribeca areas???? What do you think?
Oh, one last thing, restaurant suggestions (especailly for the birthday night) would be greatly appreciated also.
Thank you so much.

How about name recognition with this one?

I'm thinking a suite at the W Times Square and dinner somewhere she might see in a magazine. Tribeca Grill maybe?

For a sweet sixteen, it isn't the palate consideration but how it will come across to other sixteen year olds.

Just thought of this, President and Hillary Clinton took Chelsea to the
21 Club for her 18th birthday.

It is a really neat restaurant and it doesn't hurt that the food is superb and that it is an NYC institution.

When we were in NY in December, we had dinner at Artisinal. I think it's on 33rd or 31st at Park.

Wonderful dinner! They specialize in fondue. The 4 of us had 2 different fondues with bread, potatoes, steak tips for dipping. Had appetizers as our entre. Then a to die for chocolate fondue for dessert! A memorable meal.

It is a noisy restaurant, so be prepared for that.

Hotel -- You gotta, just gotta, stay at the Plaza. Your daughter has seen it in a million movies and will love it.

Location -- Midtown. It's close to everything and very "tourist-friendly." While Tribeca and SoHo are great neighborhoods, I wouldn't suggest them for a first visit. The Plaza is perfect.

Dinner -- Ask her. Perhaps she's heard or read about a particular restaurant. If not, then I suggest somewhere with an amazing, hip, too-cool-for-school New York atmosphere, such as Suba, Hue, or The Park.

Good Luck & Enjoy!

You know, so much depends on your daughters' tastes - is she into alternative music and independent films? Or does she like more "pop", mainstream music and reality tv? Or is she bookish and interested in classical theatre and music? These sort of reductive ideas can all be expanded into neighborhoods/hotels.
If she is interested in more alternative/hip sort of things, she may very well like 60 Thompson - a Soho boutique hotel that a lot of actors/musicians stay at - good deals can be had, depending on your travel dates.
Or you might try The Tribeca or Soho Grand Hotels - also extremely popular with those who wear black - larger hotels but still have a certain boutique feel. Not the cheapest around, and the rooms run on the small side.
If she's into more mainstream pop she may very well love one of the midtown hotels near Times Square - the better to see the sights and lights, see the MTV windows where the tape TRL, enjoy that sort of energy.
If you think she might prefer to be spending most of her time in Museums - I would say try for the Stanhope across from the Met (once again, deals can be had there) and she can enjoy the Neue Galerie, the Frick the Cooper Hewitt design museum, and take the Crosstown bus over to Lincoln Center .. .

For a 16th birthday dinner - I would say try Eleven Madison (a big, classy wonderful NY place) in the Flatiron district . Or Union Square Cafe (if you can call a month ahead). I think Artisanal has wonderful food, but might not be as gracious or big dea enough for a 16th birthday (and it is noisy) Chanterelle in Tribeca or Gotham Bar and Grill in the mid-Village.

It's funny, but I kind of think the exact opposite of Gekko - stay in a hip, "fun" hotel, and make the birthday dinner a more "grown-up" experience. I think a 16 year old would be bored by the Plaza - too "old" too "fancy" not "cool." But I could be wrong.

Plaza not cool?? Are you kidding me? More "celebrities" stay at the Plaza than all the boutique hotels combined. (Not that you'll see a celeb -- the chances are very very slim.) Where did "Pirate" Johnny Depp trash a suite? That's right, the Plaza. Where did I see Scarlett Johanson hanging out with a bunch of young friends last week? The Plaza. (Plus, rooms at boutique hotels tend to be shoeboxes.)

And just think about all the movies that have been filmed at the Plaza. It's a New York landmark, the quintessential New York hotel, and it's perfectly located in midtown on Central Park.

Regarding restaurants, the birthday girl needs to experience a *memorable* atmosphere she won't see at home (or anywhere else for that matter). Suba, Hue, and The Park fit the bill.

(FYI -- In terms of cuisine quality, Suba & Hue top The Park.)

I would say the Paramount Hotel located near Times Square. She'll love the very attractive bellmen.

Ask HER what she'd like to do! I'm sure she has many ideas.

But i totally agree with Gekko, and so does our 16 y/o daughter (who just popped in between her activities ;) )DEFINITELY stay at the Plaza,the best known among teens. Its classic elegance, regardless of age.

Take a horse-drawn carriage ride, buy her flowers from a street vendor, go to Serendipity for their yummy desserts, and to the top of the Empire State Bdlg ('sleepless in seattle'), ride the subway, walk around central park, with a stop in Tavern on the Green (maybe lunch), shop in SoHo, Macy's, Bloomies, Century 21, Daffy's, Canal Street. Buy some fun stuff from street vendors, etc.

Whatever you do, i'm sure she'll have a great time. And so will you!

He he he! Artisinal! Every time I see that commercial for Orbitz with that pointed headed puppet guy saying he "likes a stinky cheese" I think of Artisinal! It is a stinky cheese place with great food!

How about that little puppet guy? Cliff diving in Mexico he looks like a bullet. Bubbles up his whoopsy daisy!

Have to agree with Gekko on The Plaza.

Not to belabor a point - but in katiekatie's second paragraph, she says "she maybe would prefer a more hip/cool, chic hotel with a lot going on. (you know, maybe see a celebrity) I can't see her liking a old, stuffy "dynasty" hotel ". Hence my suggestions for the downtown hotels.

Now, maybe it's just me, but the two times I've stayed at the Plaza, been there for meetings over the years and the couple of times I've been there recently, it just has always looked a bit rundown, overly lit, a bit garish and full of tourists (sorry). katiekatie also says, "newly decorated vs. worn out" will be a big factor. To a 16 year old, that usually means more contemporary furniture and color schemes, then the faux Louis quinze reproductions . . . But then again, maybe it's because all the 16 year olds I know are Manhattan kids . . .

Anyway, I'm with Ellen Griswold - ask her. What if you selected three hotels in 3 different areas within your price range and let her make the final decision? Then you don't have to say anything if she doesn't like it!

What is that cool hotel that has the escalator going upstairs from its street door, just down the street from Columbus Circle? The area is so so but the hotel is too cool. Ian Shrager or something like that?

Serendipity is a great idea.

She's too young to know Great Food but she will be awed by "Tavren on the Green."

Tandoorigirl - it's The Hudson Hotel. yes, tres hip, particularly it's bar scene - but the rooms are TINY - even by NY standards. But she might like it. Maybe they could get adjoining rooms . . . good location for accessing midtown, Times Square area, too.
And cigalchanta - why is 16 too young to know great food? My 9 year old knows great food - it all depends on what she's been exposed to!

Hmmm. All of the restaurants suggested so far are good ones, but very "adult." What about something like Ruby Foo's? It has family-style sushi, and pan-Asian food in a really cool setting. They seem to specialize in large groups and parties, so it would be fun.

Also, remember MTV is in Times Square. Go to mtv.com for ticket info for TRL. Waaay cool if you can get in! :)
And even if you can't get into the show, she'll like visiting the adjoining store. A huge Hershey's store is also nearby that our dd really enjoyed.

Hi, question regarding Ruby Foos: After hearing it's praises here I was very surprised when I actually saw the restaurant. Now there is the old saying you can't judge a book by it's cover, but . . . IMO it appeared to be a large, someone tacky (The huge neon sign was a turn off for me) and very touristy place. After seeing it we chose to go somewhere else. Please understand I am not picking on anyone or there dining choices! Were my impressions even close to the reality beyond the front door? I would like to know what the restaurant is like inside (as we didn't venture in on the last trip) and the type of food served: is it really good, or just a huge place serving huge portions? Thanks in advance!

Ruby Foo's has two location - Times Square and the Upper West Side. The original, on the UWS, is great -- not too touristy, unique "larger than life" atmosphere. The Times Square location pales in comparison (as do most restaurants in that hellhole area of Manhattan).

My guess is that "grantop" saw the Times Square Ruby Foo's.

Yep - that was it, the Times Square location! Next time maybe we'll have the opportunity to check out the UWS establishment, sounds a little less like a "circus"?

Well, the UWS location is still quite the scene -- it's a grandiose space and always packed with people. But it's definitely not the tacky circus of the TS location.