I want to start this off by saying I am NOT a city person. I like fresh air, nature and especially pretty water. But, I was actually excited for my latest trip to NYC. NYC is one of those cities you just have to visit. There is so much to experience there and it should be on every person’s trip list. Here is a summary of what I did on my quick trip and reviews on each of the places I stayed!
Day 1:
We arrived in NYC and went straight to our first hotel, The Library Hotel. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in – there was a small, but cute, lobby with books everywhere to fit the theme. As soon as you walk in you can tell you are in a high-end hotel. I walked up to the front desk and was greeted with extremely wonderful customer service. We were given great suggestions for food and drinks for the night!
We went up to the room and it was decorated so nicely. It was pretty small, but everything was done very well. Each room had a theme and our was dinosaur, with dinosaur books everywhere. It also had a really cute bathroom which is always a big plus for me.
After we settled into our hotel, we went to grab some dinner and then drinks at a gorgeous rooftop bar. We had the perfect view of the Empire State Building and it really started our trip off on the right note.
Day 2:
We slept in today (as we did every day) because it’s vacation, right? And the beds at hotels are always extra comfy. Each of the hotels we stayed at are a part of the Library Hotel Collection and each have a continental breakfast included that we took full advantage of. After that, we decided to explore the sights that were close by.
Right down the street was the New York Public Library and WOW. It is gorgeous in there. I am always amazed by the detail put into marble and wood carvings, and this place is full of them. Definitely a place you want to visit.
We then walked to Grand Central Station because it’s one of those places every tourist needs to see. It was cool to see how gorgeous it is (compared to the station here in Chicago), but it was a bit underwhelming. If you have to skip something – skip this.
It was time for some lunch at this point, and we knew we had to try some NY style pizza. We got a white pizza and a regular and they were delicious. I know I’m a Chicagoan, but it really is a toss up between NY and Chi!
After that, we were ready to continue our walking and explore Central Park. We focused on the lower portion of the park and that was still A LOT. Central Park always amazes me at how huge it really is. We went by the zoo, the Mall, the Rambles, the lakes, and it was all gorgeous. Except… we did get very lost haha.
Once we found our way out, we went to check into our next hotel РHotel Elys̩e. This hotel had a French theme. It was nice and they kept the theme well, however I did feel it was a little dated. It was not as nice as the first hotel. BUT the room was much larger. It had a mini kitchen, a nice bathroom, and a larger room.
The other perk of The Library Collection is that each hotel has complimentary wine and cheese from 5-8. Three whole hours. This was amazing to us. Drinks in NYC are NOT cheap, and this was another perk we took full advantage of!
My friend from college met up with us and joined us for wine, then we headed out for Korean BBQ (my first time) which was great! And also the latest dinner I may have ever had. We called it a night after that.
Wait for the next blog post for days 3 & 4!
I love nature as well but NYC is one of my favorite cities in the world!!! I just love the vibe I get when I’m there. Next time I’m there I am staying at The Library Collection because complementary wine and cheese is right up my alley. Lol. Seems like you enjoyed yourself!
I love NYC and when I visit last September I was able at the Hotel Elysee as well for few days. I really enjoyed the complimentary reception in the evening and all the tasty treats. So happy you spent a great time in New York. Can’t wait to be back!
xx. Gina
Hey Dear,How you?Love NYC and your Trip Looks Amazing:)I had a chance to stay in one of the Library Collection: Aria Hotel Budapest and it was Amazing:)Hotel Elysee is So Unique:)Wish you Amazing DayLove Open Kloset By Karina
So much fun!! How could you not fall in love with NYC right!? There’s just something about it!Looks like you guys did all the right things and had so much fun! Love both hotels :)Also, Korean BBQ is the best right? I can’t get enough!PS: You two are so cute!XOAimarawww.waysofstyle.com
Such a pleasure to read this delightful post! I absolutely agree about NYC and you definitely had great experiences! I would love to stay in either one of the hotels but I especially love the Library one. Korean barbecue sounds fabulous!!
Wow! Looks like you had fun between the dino themed hotel and the French themed hotel. I love New York and all the little hidden gems it has to offer. I’ve been there many times and it still never ceases to amaze me. Thank you for sharing! I miss NY now…
Y’all obviously had an awesome time on this trip !!inlook forward to visiting New York soon too!!your post is full of useful information for anyone planning a NYC trip!!!thanks a lot…
Haha well hun…NYC is the called concrete jungle sooooo… we could say u were in the "nature". It looks really amazing and like a lot of fun. I am sure you had a great time there… enjoying the city and all its perks. Would love to read more . Stay beautifulXoxo
Looks like you had a great time in NYC! I only stayed 2 nights for my NY trip this year and I totally regret not staying longer. There is just so much to do! Can’t wait to read your next two posts :)www.samanthamariko.com
Haha, free wine in NYC is amazing! And my fiancé is from the city and told me that I could not go with him and not try their pizza. Isn’t it just so yummy? I always enjoy my time up there!
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I second Candace’s comment, free wine in NYC is amazing!! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed your trip so far as well as our pizza 😀 Looking forward to your next post!
xo, Jowww.cutandchic.com
I love reading blog posts about my city! Haha Grand Central can be underwhelming and there’s usually SO many people! I recommend taking the L train to Bedford and walking around Williamsburg or even going to Park Slope/Prospect Park and seeing all the brownstones. NYC is my heart and soul and I’m so happy you had a good time!
Such an amazing trip, I would love to visit NYC one day. This city is definitely in my trip list! You hotel room looks so good, the bed is huge, can believe that you didn’t want to wake up (and get up) haha.I will wait for the next blog post, thank you, babe 🙂
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What a great trip!! That hotel looked like the perfect place to stay!
Ah thanks for sharing this! I visited NY for the first time two years ago and loved it. And also got SO lost in Central Park, haha! X
Free wine!? Say where and when. I always enjoy a trip to NYC because I love the hustle and bustle of the city, the culinary scene and the beautiful park isn’t so bad either.
~ xo ShereePoshClassyMom.com
Unlike you I’m totally a city person and only like nature through a TV-screen, haha. Ok, I might have been exaggerating a bit, but I totally don’t like bugs. This was a lovely review of your first part of your stay in New York and I look forward to reading the next part!Thomas xx
Wow it sounds like the Library Collection hotel was truly spectacular and convenient! I would love to visit NYC soon and I’ll keep that in mind for my schedule. Love, Valeria