NYC Site Inspections

The Bowery Hotel

The Bowery Hotel is located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, one my favorite neighborhoods full of trendy bars and restaurants. It’s a 5-star luxury hotel with a boutique feel. Upon entering the lobby, we were cheerfully greeted by two doors-men. The lobby was beautifully decorated, warm and bursting with character – vintage library vibes. There’s a fireplace and plenty of cozy couches to lounge on. Looking straight towards the back of the lobby, there’s a wall of windows opening up to a courtyard, which opens up in the summer months. The bar matches the old world vibes of the lobby with velvet chairs and low lighting.

There are 12 categories of rooms. All rooms have floor to ceiling windows, some with views of the Empire State Building. The lowest category room, the Queen room was nicely decorated – a bit on the smaller side but expected in NYC hotels. The Bowery Garden rooms have private outdoor terraces with sitting areas – my absolute favorite part of the hotel! The teddy bears on every bed was a nice touch as well.

The hotel also features a fitness center and Gemma, a rustic Italian restaurant. The last renovation was five years ago. Overall, I would recommend this hotel to families and couples looking for a cozy NYC getaway.

The Langham

The Langham is another 5-star hotel with prices to match. Located on 5th ave midtown, it’s one of the more sought after areas in NYC for tourists. The lobby is grand and exudes luxury – with tall ceilings and clean lines, more of a modern feel. All of the art in the building was created by a local artist, which gives it an edge. The staff were welcoming and dressed and presented themselves very professionally.

There are seven categories of rooms. The thing that stuck out to me the most with this hotel was the rooms were SPACIOUS and bright, something you don’t come across too often in NYC hotels. With that said, they were a little plain and “corporate looking” for my liking but very clean and well kept. The suite had an in-room washer and dryer, an ample amount of closet space and a large bathroom with double sinks – with a tv built into the bathroom mirror.

We were shown the nine large, beautifully designed event spaces. This is the absolute perfect hotel for business conferences. We were told the spa has been closed since Covid with no plans of a reopening anytime soon. However, there is a large fitness center. Ai Fiori is the Langham’s restaurant on premise, with award winning Italian cuisine.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to New York City. In need of further inspiration? Check out Erica Gould’s guide, How to Spend 1 Week in NYC with Tweens.