So, we just returned from New York City on Monday – but already I need to share the details of the fabulous hotels that I tracked down for our stay. I mean, I am seriously good at finding the best boutique hotels on my pretty limited budget (and modest to boot…) I will be working on a little beginners guide to NYC coming up, but firstly let me tell you all about the Arlo Nomad.
This was my view from our bed…
We spent our first two nights at the Arlo Nomad in Midtown and we absolutely loved it! The hotel is brand new, only 2 months old and everything is still very fresh. The staff were warm, helpful and keen for feedback. They also welcomed us with vouchers for free pizza slices at check-in from the in-house pantry Bodega which was very much appreciated!
It was freezing in New York when we arrived, so a piping hot piece of pizza with delicious melting cheese was an amazing way to start our trip.
Hit up Bodega for tasty breakfast options, coffee, interesting snacks and late night pizza.
Our Room:
The rooms are small – 151 sq ft, to be exact (pretty normal for Manhattan) but they have used the space well and not compromised on comfort.
Spotlessly clean with comfy bedding and crisp linens but the real highlight has to be the view – we booked one of their sky rooms which basically meant that two of our walls were floor to ceiling glass with beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline, such an amazing feature.
Bathroom was a good size with sliding frosted glass doors and a large rainfall shower-head. Room amenities included lovely signature lemongrass Blind Barber Arlo toiletries, a fridge and a hairdryer – the clothes steamer was a nice touch.
The Hotel:
Outside of your room the Arlo has plenty of great communal spaces to relax and enjoy including a library/studio, a cozy bar and lounge (BARlo) and their restaurant, Massoni (known for great pizza with inventive toppings – try the mushroom pizza with French onion mascarpone and smoked mozzarella). Sadly their rooftop bar ‘The Heights’ was closed during our stay due to the heavy snowfall, but that’s just an excuse to go back and visit another time…
Bodega is also an excellent spot in the lobby open 24 hrs and serving coffee and a selection of deliciously curated snacks. I highly recommend their ‘toasts’ for breakfast – we tried the scrambled egg, cheddar and bacon toast and the fig, ricotta, prosciutto and almond toast.
Yummy toasts!
Where We Ate:
Should you feel the urge to venture outside – and it was certainly tempting to just stay within the cozy confines of the Arlo Nomad with the below freezing temperatures in NYC. You’ll find yourself in the heart of Korea town with a host of excellent restaurants on your doorstep. We stumbled into Her Name Is Han right next door for tasty dumplings and Soju cocktails.
For a great breakfast nearby consider wandering over to Penelope on 30th and Lex – a small and bustling cottage-style cafe with generous portions and all the brunch favourites.
I really couldn’t fault our stay at the Arlo Nomad and look forward to going back one day and exploring New York City some more! We just loved how central the hotel was, which allowed for really easy exploration of the city on foot.
Flights:
New York is such a convenient destination with three International airports and direct flights from many of the main US cities. John F. Kennedy International (JFK), La Guardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Airport (EWR) just across the river in New Jersey. There will also be direct flights to one of the three from most European Capitals. We booked our flights through Skyscanner as it’s a great way to compare the flight prices across all the different airlines. Don’t forget to get your ESTA or US Visa arranged in plenty of time before your trip!
Once we reached the airport we found that the easiest and cheapest way to get to our hotels was using Super Shuttle the airport shuttle service, which cost us around $20 per person and removed the complication of traveling on the subway with luggage in a city that we didn’t know.
Hotels:
I choose to use Hotels.com for all my trips away as I collect nights on my travels which can add up to free nights in the future. New York has hundreds of fantastic hotels listed as part of their program and you can grab some great rates! Read more about where we stayed in Brooklyn here.
Travel Insurance:
Please always remember that it’s a good idea to take out travel insurance whenever you are going away. Lost belongings, missed connections or a host of other travel woes can really impact your trip. As expats we always use World Nomads because of their flexible coverage. Be sure to read the policy details carefully and ensure that it is right for you!
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