Last weekend, my boyfriend and I did something we’d never done before. We ditched our Manhattan apartments and got a hotel room in Downtown New York at the Andaz Wall Street.
We decided to fully embrace a different part of New York we’ve never lived or stayed in while also checking out a luxury hotel and doing some pampering. It sounded a little extravagant given the fact that we both have our own places, but from the second we checked into the hotel, any doubts quickly subsided and we fully were into the idea.
The Andaz is super luxe and modern. Our room was ginormous, with towering high ceilings, a beautiful layout and just a really sexy vibe to it. We were provided with high-end C.O. Bigelow toiletries, a free minibar stocked with snacks and soft drinks, a deep bathtub and separate waterfall shower that made for a giant bathroom suite.
I really fell for the design aesthetic and unique touches throughout. Behind the television, for instance, is a bench in front of a vanity with a giant mirror that is perfect for doing your hair and makeup in. We used the entire set up as a salon, workspace and kitchen.
There were other unique touches, too. There is a giant bureau that rotates in four different directions, with an armoir, full length mirror, etc. The lighting options in the room were awesome. One button brought down black-out shades to block out the sun. There is also a “relaxed” setting and other options for mood lighting. The hotel hosts a wine happy hour in the lobby daily from six to seven that is complementary. There is also free coffee, tea, cookies, croissants and muffins in the morning, which is such a nice touch.
One of the best parts about the staycation was being able to wander around a different neighborhood for an extended period of time, and checking off restaurants/bars and other sights off of my local bucket list, but also happening upon cute spots.
Case in point, on Saturday while we were walking to the subway to go to the music festival, we walked down Stone Street, a charming cobblestone street closed off to traffic in the middle of the financial district. The street is lined with charming bars and restaurants with large, wooden picnic tables outside of each to eat and drink al fresco. It happened to be the street’s annual Octoberfest celebration, so in addition to all of the normal fanfare, they had sausage booths and giant mugs of beer set up. So, we grabbed some sausages, beer and took in the scene, eating and drinking in the sun.
If you stay in the area, we came across a local institution that you must visit for amazing, New York style bagels. Just a short walk from the Andaz, is a breakfast spot called Leo’s Bagels. Don’t be frightened by the line, it’s for good reason, because the bagels and their toppings are great. My boyfriend had a really difficult time choosing between the now fewer than 9 times of salmon and lox they had on offer to go on his salt bagel with cream cheese. Oh, for the more carb conscious, they also have flagels and tofu cream cheese spreads.
One of the most decadent things we did was order room service at 11 pm after a long day out at the concert. And as expected at a hotel such as Andaz, it was amazing. After dancing all day in the sun, we ordered two dirty martinis, a chicken sandwich, seared tuna and buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes. It truly made me feel like Eloise at The Plaza, and something I think we will be repeating at least once every time we explore other staycations.
Cocktails: one of the best cocktail bars in New York City is the Dead Rabbit. And, it just happens to be walking distance to the Andaz. Now, be prepared to wait for a seat at the bar, so put your name down and be patient. The ambiance at this bar is super eclectic and charming (it looks more like a British countryside pub than a bar in the middle of Manhattan), and their cocktails are so creative.
There is a giant luxury shopping center nearby called Brookfield, that has great shopping, but also great food. France’s answer to Eataly is there, called Le District, that is a French Market, food hall, cheese monger and wine bar. It also happens to be a great date spot.
More NYC Travel Guides:
Manhattan’s Best Boutique Fitness Classes
The Definitive Guide to NYC
The Best Brunches in NYC