Followa prime, grade A neighborhood!
on a recent quick visit to NYC i had the pleasure of spending time in the Meatpacking District. once upon a time, when i lived in Manhattan, the only reason you’d venture to the Meatpacking District was to patronize the infamous Hogs & Hefers. BOY have things ever changed. yes, there’s still the warehouse feel and the cobbled streets of an older day but the scene there is otherwise totally HIP. another observation i made was that generally the neighborhood feels open, spacious & not congested like so many other areas of NYC.
because i had a change in plans, i ended up staying in two different hotels in the neighborhood and discovered a charming third. the first night, i stayed at Dream Downtown – a hotel that’s design is all things circles. really neat – i must admit! the staff was friendly, the rooms were funky yet functional & decently sized by NY standards.
the second night, i stayed at the Hotel Gansevoort Meatpacking. i loved the vibe of the Gansevoort – it’s definitely catering to the cool kids. raw hide & pool tables in the lobby and the tres fab roof deck pool aren’t to be missed. accommodations here were similar to Dream in that rooms were simple & sleek plus a good size. the Gansevoort exudes sex appeal!
the third property i came across during my visit was The Standard NY. WOW what a view from their 18th floor. i dropped by The Standard to have a pre-dinner drink and fell for it hard. next time in NYC this will be where i rest my head. fur throws in the lobby & floors made of pennies give this place one awesome eclectic feel that attracts everything from models to the European crowd. this is a property that definitely needs a closer lola look. my other FAVORITE thing about all three of these hotels is that they offer free WiFi. nothing’s ever cheap in NY and this is a definite perk as most times you get nickeled & dimed to pay for wireless internet.
the Meatpacking District is also sprinkled with some of the best places to eat in NYC like Scarpetta, Dos Caminos & Pastis, to name a few. you won’t go hungry with a variety of options in close proximity. AND another plus for the hood on the ‘lola scale’ of things – EXCELLENT shopping. you might not even need to venture out of the Meatpacking District. i enjoyed browsing at Diane von Furstenberg and am super excited to return to the neighborhood to shop at Vanita Rosa – a store i discovered in St. Barts. it’s only other location is Paris. great score Meatpacking District!!
a final shout out i’d like to give is to the travel agency i booked my rooms through – Magellan Vacations. i’m a big fan of online booking all on my own but i’ve used Magellan now for a couple of trips and i highly recommend them. their inventory of hotels are in line with the types of places i’d choose to stay and because of their relationships with the various properties, you are almost always given an upgraded room and other possible perks. once you book with Magellan, they also continue to check your rate and if it goes down before your stay they will rebook you at the lower rate. this scenario actually happened to me and i feel that this alone is worth using their services!
so, if you’re heading to NYC in the near future and are hungry for a new neighborhood to check out – clearly, i endorse the delicious Meatpacking District.
ahh did you make it to the standard biergarten at the bottom of the hotel, underneath the highline?? you’ll have to put it on your itinerary for next time, it’s so cute.
the standard hotel makes me laugh, only because there were tons of complaints a few years ago because hotel guests were flashing people strolling along the highline!
the lazy travelers recently posted…no travel required
i didn’t make it there. it may not have been open yet as it was March when i was visiting. will add to the list!
as for flashing…that’s not out of the realm of possibilities for me. if you hear of loads of complaints again re: the standard – it just means i’ve been back in town 😉
hahaha we should have known! hubs & i were on the roof at the brass monkey and were the victims of a standard hotel flasher. it was in july of last year though, so i’ll assume it was not lola.
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This looks like a deliciously great place to spend a weekend (or week). I need a trip back to NYC…perhaps in the fall. {sigh}
Leah Travels recently posted…Texas Tuesday: Toobin’ the Guadalupe
all of september and early november are the best times to visit!! i feel like october tends to be rainy for some reason.
the lazy travelers recently posted…tales from a tbex first timer
i agree with November being an awesome time to visit NYC!
Funny, I was going to mention The Standard “issues” also:) Oddly enough, anytime I think of the meatpacking district, I think of Seinfeld when George goes to the party there with all the models. An episode worth watching…
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted…Bay Hill Club & Lodge – Deej’s Florida Swing
i’ll have to go hulu or you tube that episode DJ! thanks for the tip. 🙂
oOo I want to go back to NYC pronto! Especially with those accommodations.
Kieu ~ GQ trippin recently posted…Shanghai: Dumpling Duel
me toooooo! i’m dying to stay at the standard next – as i mentioned. wanna get down to NYC in July perhaps for a midweek visit.
Lola,
I love the Meatpacking District, and your piece makes me realize I need to spend more time exploring the neighborhood. It’s ever changing, especially now that the High Line has stepped things up.
Jeff Dobbins recently posted…Bryant Park Film Festival 2012
i truly love that hood. i have to get back STAT. who wants to meet me for drinks at the top of the standard or in their biergarten? 🙂
Ah, this neighborhood is just a few stops on the A,C,E for me… and so right you are…has it changed in the last ten years. Let me know the next time you come in as there are a few spots you didn’t mention, I think you might enjoy visiting.
stay adventurous, Craig
Craig Zabransky recently posted…Sunset Sunday – Sunset at Keystone Resort, Colorado
you know you will be one of the first to know when i schedule my next visit to NYC, Craig. any clue when the next travel massive will be? maybe i’ll head down then 😉 i will definitely take you up on a “stay adventurous” tour of the Meatpacking District!
great piece – you certainly made me down memory lane. We always go to NYC once or twice a year and haven’t been since July last year… oh my! I love the meatpacking district and been to all the places you mentioned!! I also found a great cool Greek restaurant almost next door to Pastis. Oh did you go to Christian Louboutin? Next time I need to go to the Spotted Pig, which is supposed to be amazing as well!
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted…Cruising? Me? Never!.. Or can I be persuaded?
just goes to show Mrs. O – that this neighborhood has SO much to offer. i definitely didn’t have enough time to discover everything there. that’s why i’m hungry to get back there ASAP!
Yet another reason why NYC is one of our favorite cities in the world. You have us pining to go back now!
i know! i have myself pining to go back too!!! HA HA. you have to tell me when you are on this coast next. i will try to meet up with you ANYWHERE!!
This one definitely goes on my list for the next time I’m in NYC!! Great recommendations & pics, Lola. 🙂
Pola recently posted…Boutique-shopping: more than dressing up
thanks Pola. i was really impressed with this neighborhood. even after having lived in NYC for a few years – it’s always wonderful to visit and make a new discovery!!
Lola, I love that part of NYC. Not that I know it super well but I love Pastis – what great ambience, like in Paris! I can’t remember the hotel where we went afterwards for drinks at the rooftop bar but it was fantastic. Now you have given me other places to try! Cheers!
Raul (ilivetotravel in Twitter) recently posted…Photo of the Week – A Beer Goes to Rome
yes! there are loads of options in this super cool & chic neighborhood. i am looking forward to getting back there as soon as i can make it work!
Would you believe that I’ve never been to NYC? Embarrassing to admit, I know. But when I do go, I wanna see it Lola-style and I wanna stay at one of these places! (I gotta throw in a baseball game or something, though.)
Francesca recently posted…Hometown travel: Chicago area adventures
maybe we can do it together, Francesca! i’d really love that 🙂
Great little mini guide to the Meat packing district. Can’t wait to get back to NY- also the tip about Magellan is one I’ll keep in mind too
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thanks so much, Fiona. yes! Magellan has been lovely to work with – highly recommend!!
I love the Meatpacking District! Have you been to Paradou? They have the best brunch! Also, love that you can now spend a day in the area then hop on the Highline and enjoy it from above. 🙂 Great post!
i NEED to take advantage of this highline when next in the big apple 🙂
Favorite place in NYC!
right?! it’s soooo FAB. i can’t wait to get back. 🙂
Never heard of this area before, but I am sure if Lola likes it, it must have style.
Traveling Ted recently posted…Puebla is an undiscovered, quaint, charming, hidden gem, off the beaten path destination
very stylish indeed, Ted. you must check it out when next in NYC 🙂
I remember walking by Dream when they were building it a few years ago – I had no idea it was going to be a hotel, I just thought it looked really cool. Also, is The Standard the exhibitionist hotel above the high line?
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Dream is REALLY cool fo sho! YES, The Standard is exactly that hotel. i wanna stay there next time in NYC…it remains to be seen whether i’ll be exhibiting anything though 😉
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